According to recent research from the United States, 'African Americans bear a disproportionate health burden from smoking but are less likely than other populations to engage in cessation treatment. Intervening on adult nonsmokers residing with a smoker might represent an innovative approach to motivate smokers to engage in smoking behavior change.'
'Twelve focus groups were conducted with African American smokers (four groups, n = 27), nonsmokers (four groups, n = 26) and pairs of cohabitating smokers and nonsmokers (four groups, n = 22) to assess attitudes and/or beliefs regarding engaging a nonsmoker in the home in smoking behavior change efforts. (N = 75) were middle-aged (45.1 +/- 3.7 years) females (68.0%) with 11.8 +/- 1.5 years of education. Smokers smoked 14.9 +/- 11.3 cigarettes per day, made 3.0 +/- 4.4 quit attempts in the past year, and are interested in receiving cessation assistance from a nonsmoker in their home. African American nonsmokers living with a smoker may be an appropriate target group to motivate smoking behavior change in the smoker,' wrote J.L. Thomas and colleagues, University of Minnesota.
The researchers concluded: 'Suggestions for future research considerations are provided.'
Thomas and colleagues published their study in Health Education & Behavior (Targeting African American Nonsmokers to Motivate Smokers to Quit: A Qualitative Inquiry. Health Education & Behavior, 2010;37(5):680-693).
For additional information, contact J.L. Thomas, University of Minnesota, Clinic Research Center, 717 Delaware St. SE, Suite 166, Minneapolis, MN 55414, USA.
Publisher contact information for the journal Health Education & Behavior is: Sage Publications Inc., 2455 Teller Rd., Thousand Oaks, CA 91320, USA.
Keywords: City:Minneapolis, State:MN, Country:United States, Health Education Research
This article was prepared by Education Letter editors from staff and other reports. Copyright 2010, Education Letter via VerticalNews.com.
