Nienke Boderie

Chapter 11 372 When interviews came to the perceived level of addiction, answers differed substantially, ranging from accepting one’s dependence on nicotine to believing that one can easily quit: Employee 2 (Male; more than 30 cigarettes a day): I start with it [smoking] and I end with it, but I am trying to phase it out, though. I am aware of the unhealthy factors. But I have to confess that I am guilty, that my body has become dependent on the cigarette.” Employee 16 (Female; six cigarettes per day): “I know I can quit on my own […] I can easily start smoking but also easily quit smoking” Perspective on help or stimulation during smoking cessation Most of the respondents preferred to quit smoking on their own. Quitting smoking was perceived as perseverance. Respondents generally felt that quitting was something they should do on their own. Employee 7 (Female; 15 cigarettes per day): “Look, if I want to quit and I feel I am ready for it, and I try to quit but it turns out to be damn hard, then maybe yes, I might try one of those programmes. But that is really a last resort. I would always say: try it yourself first, without a programme.” Employee 13 (Male; 0.5 pack a day): “If I say: I am going to quit, then I am going to quit. I do not need a programme for that. If I really want to quit, I want it, so I do not need a programme to help me.” The strong emphasis on intrinsic motivation is reflected in the financial incentives for smoking cessation. One respondent considered it ‘bribery’ and another respondent stated that money was ‘the wrong motivation to quit’. Others were unsure how to feel about the incentives. Most respondents thought financial incentives would not work for them, but maybe for others. Some respondents suggested that non-financial incentives such as extra days off or just a pat on the back might work better for them. One respondent considered financial incentives for smoking cessation programs to be unfair to non-smoking colleagues. Characteristics of the PERSIST programme While the majority of respondents were aware of the possibility of joining a smoking cessation program at the workplace, most of them were not aware of the possibility of earning incentives. Three respondents who were unaware of the possibility of earning financial incentives would have considered participating if they knew about this possibility, such as employee seven: Employee 7 (Female, 8 cigarettes a day): “Yes of course! Look, I know I should quit, but I do not know when. If I get offered money, then I think: oh, then maybe I should do it now. A bit of extra money is always nice, right? Especially these days.”

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