Table 3 Themes, sub-themes and their definitions/descriptions.

Experiences with resources

Resources (human work force and hardware) were perceived as key factors in carrying out the projects. They were both facilitating and hindering

hindering:

Participant (no. 6-HLCP): "The major problem is insufficient number of nurses in the hospitals, unfortunately."

Participant (no.2-HLCP): "We can't follow up the implementation the interventions, because we have few professionals against high duty load."

facilitating :

Participant (no.6-HLCP): "We prepare slides as powerpoints; get pamphlets to nurses who agreed to become trained."

Participant (no.5-HLCP): "All instruments and resources were prepared by the hospital managerial team and nobody had helped them."

Participant (no.1-HLCP): "I brought my personal computer from my own shop and installed educational materials on it."

Attitude toward the program

It implies any positive or negative beliefs (barriers) about IHHP, in terms of program effectiveness and feasibility, directors' qualifications etc.

positive believes:

Participant (no. 6-HLCP): "Nursing supervisors in hospitals are very concerned... we printed a folder on some topics for patients' education.... It seems to be successful. Many physicians requested these educational materials for their private offices."

negative believes:

Participant (no. 5-WIP): "Initially, there was some resistance on the part of workers, employees, cooks, etc. Yes, resistance persists actually"

Participant (no. 2-WIP): "Among the barriers were the economic concerns of some managers at work which was obvious. Any plan, like regular daily exercise for employees, that took up some of the work time, however little, would bring about resistance"

Enabling factors

Effective education

Applicable and understandable education had encouraged learning and adherence to the program

Participant (no. 6-HPEP): "I myself, enjoyed the subject of the tobacco control program"

Participant (no. 6-HLCP): "Patients need a holistic approach. For example they might ask: When am I allowed to drive? ... Some topics in our classes cannot answer the patients' questions."

Positive reinforcement

Offering positive feedback to people increased acceptance and continuation of desirable behaviors/healthy life-style

Participant (no. 1 - WIP): "We have an antismoking program named Quit and Win. It was preformed regularly."

Participant (no. 3 - WIP): "We planned some competitions like caricatures, among employees and their families to encourage smoking cessation. Consequently, all their family members were persuaded to participate."

Creative activities

Some activities which have increased stakeholders and other participants' incentives and adherence to the program

Participant (no.1 - HLCP): "We set up stations and an exhibition that introduced IHHP pamphlets. In fact these activities drew people's attention to communicate with us."

Recognition and appreciation

It means to acknowledge that the peoples' compliance has enhanced their participation in the program interventions

Participant (no. 1 - HPEP): "Now, education is valuable, it affects employee's evaluation and job improvement. Thus employees are attracted to education."

Participant (no. 8 - HPEP): "Nurses don't motivate, because they have lost their professional values. There is no difference between active and passive employees."

Sensitization

Alerting and informing the people against detrimental effects of risky behaviors has encouraged them to adopt healthy behaviors

Participant (no. 2 - HLCP): "The audiences in the seminars understood how useful the secondary prevention and rehabilitation training programs are for patients."

Participant (no. 3 - WIP): "After recent interventions in our factory, if the employees don't get vegetables and dairy diet during a week, they will complain about it to the factory health center."