Intention to implement a smoking cessation intervention in Dutch general practice

The paper seeks to identify determinants of general practice staff's intention to further implement a smoking cessation expert system, a computer‐generated tailored intervention, following their participation in an effectiveness study.

Written questionnaires based on the I‐Change Model, a socio‐cognitive model, were left in general practices where the expert system had been trialled. Respondents intending to continue their use (intenders, n=62) were compared to those who did not (non‐intenders, n=27).

Eighty‐nine individuals from 55 practices responded (73 per cent). GPs were more often intenders than general practice assistants. Responses from the same practice were not significantly related to each other. Intention to continue using the expert system was determined by a more positive attitude towards the expert system, a social norm towards engaging in smoking cessation activities, and higher self‐efficacy. Practice staff who had actively offered the expert system to their patients were more likely to be an intender.

Cognitive factors and trial involvement determined intention to further implement the expert system. Discussing barriers with practice staff could increase motivation to implement and ownership. Intenders can aid the implementation process by sharing experiences with non‐intending peers.