Evaluation of Health Perceptions: Implications for a Self-Help Smoking Cessation Programme

Smoking cessation techniques tend to derive their procedures from the medical model, whether in clinical research or in health education. The application of the medical model is examined and conclusions drawn regarding the inappropriateness of labelling smoking as an illness to be treated. An alternative educational approach to smoking cessation is proposed which enables smokers to acquire skills for a ‘life without smoking’. This is a theoretical exposition of a current research project, the aim of which is to set up, maintain and evaluate community self-help stop-smoking groups in Wessex Region. The project is popularly known as ‘Operation Smokestop’, is funded by Cancer Research Campaign, sponsored by Wessex Regional Health Authority and based at the University of Southampton.