Abstract
Objectives
Appearance-related interventions to promote healthy behaviour have been found effective to communicate health risks. The current study aimed to explore women smokers' experiences of age-progression software showing the effects of smoking on the face.
Methods
A qualitative design was implemented, utilizing both individual interviews and focus groups within a critical realist framework. Fifteen, 19–52 year-old women smokers were administered an age-progression intervention. All participants responded to the intervention, engaged in semi-structured interviews, and were invited back to attend one of three focus groups. Data were analysed using inductive thematic analysis.
Results
Four main themes were identified: Health versus Appearance, Shock Reaction, Perceived Susceptibility, and Intention to Quit. Participants found the intervention useful, voicing need for a comprehensive approach that includes both appearance and health. Despite increases in appearance-based apps which could diminish impact, women's accounts of shock induced by the aged smoking-morphed images were similar to previous work conducted more than ten years previously.
Conclusions
The study provides novel insights in how women smokers currently perceive, and react to, an age-progression intervention for smoking cessation.
Innovation
Findings emphasise the implementation of this intervention type accompanied by health information in a range of patient settings.
Appearance-related interventions to promote healthy behaviour have been found effective to communicate health risks. The current study aimed to explore women smokers' experiences of age-progression software showing the effects of smoking on the face.
Methods
A qualitative design was implemented, utilizing both individual interviews and focus groups within a critical realist framework. Fifteen, 19–52 year-old women smokers were administered an age-progression intervention. All participants responded to the intervention, engaged in semi-structured interviews, and were invited back to attend one of three focus groups. Data were analysed using inductive thematic analysis.
Results
Four main themes were identified: Health versus Appearance, Shock Reaction, Perceived Susceptibility, and Intention to Quit. Participants found the intervention useful, voicing need for a comprehensive approach that includes both appearance and health. Despite increases in appearance-based apps which could diminish impact, women's accounts of shock induced by the aged smoking-morphed images were similar to previous work conducted more than ten years previously.
Conclusions
The study provides novel insights in how women smokers currently perceive, and react to, an age-progression intervention for smoking cessation.
Innovation
Findings emphasise the implementation of this intervention type accompanied by health information in a range of patient settings.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Article number | 100021 |
| Number of pages | 8 |
| Journal | PEC Innovation |
| Volume | 1 |
| Early online date | 16 Feb 2022 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - 1 Dec 2022 |
| Externally published | Yes |
