 |
The 130th Annual Meeting of APHA |
|
The 130th Annual Meeting of APHA |
Kristina Keck, MA, Emilia Lombardi, PhD, and Terry Burch. Tobacco Program, National Association of LGBT Community Centers, 12832 Garden Grove Blvd. Suite A, Garden Grove, CA 92843, 714-534-0862 ext. 316, Kristinak@thecenteroc.org
Tobacco use among lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) individuals is seen to be a major health issue by researchers and clinicians alike. While adult smoking is seen to be on the decrease, gay men and lesbians are still more likely to smoke than the general adult population. Further, preliminary comparisons between young gay men and lesbians have found that lesbians actually smoke more than their gay male counterparts, amplifying concerns regarding specific tobacco-related health disparities in the lesbian community. There has been much speculation on why this is the case. Between April and August of 2001, the National Association of LGBT Community Centers (NALGBTCC) conducted 24 focus groups in nine cities and asked LGBT individuals about their beliefs and feelings about smoking. Groups were restricted to either smokers of specific genders or ethnicities, but there was also a focus group open to people regardless of their gender, ethnicity, or tobacco use (See table 2 for more information). Focus groups contained as few as two people and as many as twelve, and participants’ age ranged from 14-65. The information gathered from these focus groups represented a beginning in the examination of the attitudes and feelings that gay men and lesbians have concerning tobacco use. Results show how stress, alcohol use, and social interaction all are related to people’s use of cigarettes. There are aspects specific to the lives of LGBT people that will influence their tobacco use. The implications this has for tobacco control programs will be discussed.
Learning Objectives:
Keywords: Tobacco Control, Tobacco
Related Web page: www.lgbtcenters.org/tobacco.htm
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.