Table 2 Thematic quotations from interviews with smokers e-referred to the Ohio Quitline

Differing expectations regarding the quitline referral

“You know, and I just wasn’t sure (what to expect). To be honest with you, I thought it was a program like a friend of mine went through some years ago where he actually went like to one of the clinics in the evenings.” [ID #08]

[Describing a visit during which the patient was in too much pain to ask questions clarifying the QL referral] “The only thing I got was ‘You call them, and they’ll call you back.’ That’s the only thing I got … I wanted to ask, but I was in pain … I wanted to know about like if you go to the hospital and you sit down with somebody. I wanted to ask those questions, but I honestly was not feeling good and I didn’t wanna hear anything.” [ID #14]

“I wanted patches. So that’s what I thought I was gon’ get, some patches. Like I was saying, that’s not what I wanted to do - them checking on me and this and that and all that … So you know, I told them, ‘That’s all right.’ If I couldn’t get the patches, that’s all right. That was the end of that conversation. [ID #25].”

Changing life circumstances and stressors

“My mother had a stroke, and but she wasn’t doing too good and wasn’t nobody here to take care of her, but me. You know how hard that was on me. She was bedridden, and she died like in August of last year. Yeah, and trying to take care of myself and trying to take care of her. It was a lot.”

“I just had a lot going on. A lot of issues with family, things going on lately. Our home was just burglarized a couple weeks ago. I’ve just had a lot going on … I mean it’s definitely something I’d like to do eventually. It’s just gotta be the right time, and a lot of times when you try to quit something and then you go back to it, becomes, you know it just becomes worse, I guess.” [ID #33]

“Well they sent me the brochures and everything. But my mindset wasn’t in the right frame of mind at that point, ‘cause my dad was in a nursing home. And he just recently passed away, so I wasn’t really in the right state of mind back then. It was kind of stressful, and that was like the stress-relief to get out the nursing home and have me a cigarette and go home.” [ID #44]

Unable to find time for counseling

“I’ve been at work so much that I never get a chance to conversate with them, ‘cause I’m at work like from morning ‘til late evening.” [ID #13]

“I actually received a couple calls that I missed because I was at appointments, or I was either at my kids’ school or something and didn’t answer the phone.” [ID #12]

“Usually when they call, sometimes I don’t answer because I’m either picking up my kid, or taking him to school … and then with Christmas, holidays. Everything is just, you know, and then trying to figure out with the doctor ‘cause well I just had another episode, so I was in the hospital.” [ID #22]

Cell phone barriers

“They probably tried to call me, but my phone’s been stupid … I cracked it, so sometimes it answers and sometimes it doesn’t.” [ID #54]

“Yeah, and then the phone I had, I lost it, and I ain’t been able to afford me another phone, but I got a birthday soon coming. I guess they’ll pitch in and buy me a phone, and I’m using a temporary phone now until I get me another real good phone. I had phones and kept having problems with them.” [ID #52]

“The MA asked if I had any interest in stopping and I told her yes, and then she gave me or told me about the quitline was supposed to call me, which I believe they may have, but the number comes up and if it’s an 800 number, I usually don’t answer it because you know it doesn’t come up under the quitline, you know, ID. It just comes up as an 800 number.” [ID #04]

Discomfort with/disbelief in the efficacy of quitline counseling

“I did (agree to be connected to the quitline), and we did speak. Someone did call me with the department of the quitline, and I was not comfortable. I’m not gonna lie to you … I think it was just the person that spoke to me over the phone. In reality, I know that it’s just your job to try to give information out, or try to help someone, but you need to feel comfortable with somebody when you speak to them over the phone, and I just didn’t feel comfortable with the first call I got. So I didn’t agree to the over-the-phone line quitting situation because, I don’t know. I just didn’t feel comfortable.” [ID #15]

“You know the first time, the lady was professional and generous. It’s just I don’t think it was very helpful to me.” [ID #41]

“Cause talking with somebody about quitting doesn’t do any good. I feel like talking wouldn’t do any good. ‘Cause I would go ahead on and say ‘Yeah. Um hmm. Yeah. You’re right. You’re right.’ and it’ll be going in one ear, coming out the other.” [ID #23]

Quitting on their own

“I got a call and they asked me, you know they said ‘Are you interested in quitting?’ and I said ‘Yeah.’ I told them I was in the process of trying to quit then, you know, and they told me if I needed help, to get in touch with them.” [ID #28]

“They called me, but I didn’t really speak with them because I actually stopped, and I didn’t need the help. And I’ve been doing good ever since then.” [ID #03]