Table 1 Topic guide for individual interviews and focus groups

1. I would like you to reflect on help-seeking for lung cancer:

a. What do you think would stop a person from seeking help from a GP/public health nurse/practice nurse/community pharmacist for symptoms indicative of lung cancer?

b. What do you think would encourage a person to seek help from a GP/public health nurse/practice nurse/community pharmacist for symptoms indicative of lung cancer?

2. Last year, we spoke to several individuals who were at risk for lung cancer. A number of these individuals refused to seek help from their GP due the (i) cost of a GP visit, (ii) previous bad experiences with the healthcare system, (iii) long waiting time to get a GP appointment, and (iv) some GPs’ perceived negative attitudes towards smokers (e.g., shaming and blaming everything on smoking).

a. What do you think can be done to address such barriers?

b. Some participants indicated that as a first step they would go to their local pharmacy and buy a cough syrup. What are your views on this? (probes: opportunity to discuss the ‘alarm’ symptoms).

3. Share with participants the (i) “Be Clear on Cancer” poster, leaflet and symptom checker card and (ii) “Detect Cancer Early” poster and leaflet, give them 5-10 min to go over those, then ask:

a. How did you find the interventions? (probes: format, colour, information, celebrity, personal stories)

b. Do you think these resources would be useful to your patients? If so, which one(s)? Why?