Recruiting family dyads facing XXXX surgery: Challenges and lessons learned from a smoking cessation intervention.

@entity5 @entity286 @entity1
PURPOSE: Persistent smoking after a @entity5 diagnosis has adverse effects. Most smoking cessation interventions focus on individual behaviors; however, family members who smoke are major barriers to success. This article describes challenges and lessons learned related to recruitment and retention to a longitudinal, dyadic-centered smoking cessation intervention study for individuals confronting a new diagnosis of @entity5 and their family members who smoke. METHODS: A prospective, one-group repeated measures, mixed-method feasibility study measured recruitment, retention, adherence, and acceptability over a 6-month period in a thoracic surgery clinic at a university @entity5 center. A multidisciplinary, multi-component decision aid-" @entity286 Free Family"-was used to intervene with the dyads. Study recruitment occurred preoperatively with a thoracic surgery team member assessing smoking status. RESULTS: During the 6-month recruitment period, 50 @entity1 who smoked were screened, and 18 eligible families were approached to participate. Sixteen @entity1 (8 dyads) enrolled. @entity1 were all male, and participating family members were all female-either spouses or long-term girlfriends. Others types of family members declined participation. CONCLUSION: Recruitment was lower than anticipated (44%), retention was high (100%), and maximizing convenience was the most important retention strategy. Oncology nurses can assess the smoking status of @entity1 and family members, facilitate understanding about the benefits of cessation, refer those willing to stop to expert resources, and help motivate those unwilling to quit. Research is needed to continue developing strategies to help @entity1 with @entity5 and their families facing surgery as an impetus for stopping smoking. Novel intervention delivery and communication need further exploration.
