Experiences of Ex-Smokers Serving as Peer Supporters in an Instant Messaging-Based Smoking Cessation Program: A Qualitative Study
Ziqiu Guo, Tzu Tsun Luk, Xue Weng, Jung Jae Lee, Yongda Wu, Shengzhi Zhao, Derek Yee Tak Cheung, Agnes Yuen Kwan Lai, Henry Sau Chai Tong, Vienna Wai Yin Lai, Tai Hing Lam, Man Ping Wang · 2026
Read Experiences of Ex-Smokers Serving as Peer Supporters in an Instant Messaging-Based Smoking Cessation Program: A Qualitative Study by Ziqiu Guo, Tzu Tsun Luk, Xue Weng, Jung Jae Lee, Yongda Wu, Shengzhi Zhao, Derek Yee Tak Cheung, Agnes Yuen Kwan Lai, Henry Sau Chai Tong, Vienna Wai Yin Lai, Tai Hing Lam, Man Ping Wang (2026) in the Tower of Babel, a free online library of public-domain works preserved in clean, searchable text. No sign-up. The full text is served as a plain-text file at a predictable URL, where text is present: https://antarctic-labs.com/tower-of-babel/pmc-13209351.txt.
Description
Ziqiu Guo and co-authors interview ex smokers who supported quitters in a chat based program in Hong Kong in this 2026 paper. The supporters had delivered instant messaging help to smokers in an earlier trial. Their own experience of quitting was the core of the role. Twenty one supporters gave online interviews for this study.
Five themes described the experience. Sharing their own quit stories engaged motivated smokers best. Low replies from users limited that effect, though. Support often stretched beyond quitting into stress and daily life. Supporters gained confidence and reinforcement for their own abstinence. Challenges included awkward silences and emotional load. The study judges mobile peer support promising, with clearer roles and backup for supporters.
Catalog record
| CREATOR | Ziqiu Guo, Tzu Tsun Luk, Xue Weng, Jung Jae Lee, Yongda Wu, Shengzhi Zhao, Derek Yee Tak Cheung, Agnes Yuen Kwan Lai, Henry Sau Chai Tong, Vienna Wai Yin Lai, Tai Hing Lam, Man Ping Wang |
|---|---|
| YEAR | 2026 |
| COLLECTION | PAPERS |
| FORMAT | TXT |
| FILE SIZE | 36 KB |
| VERSION | 1.0 |
| LICENSE | CC BY 4.0 |
| RIGHTS | CC BY |
| SOURCE | Europe PMC |