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The 130th Annual Meeting of APHA |
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The 130th Annual Meeting of APHA |
Isabel C. Scarinci, PhD, MPH1, Andrea Silveira, MA2, Bettina M. Beech, DrPH, MPH3, Neiva Melamed, BS2, and Daniele Figueiredo, BS2. (1) Division of Preventive Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, MT 609, 1530 3rd Avenue South, Birmingham, AL 35294, (205) 975-7177, iscarinci@dopm.uab.edu, (2) Humana, Rua Bruno Filgueira, 369 Conjunto 1505, Curitiba, 80240, Brazil, (3) Center for Community Health, University of Memphis, 5050 Poplar Ave, Suite 1800, Memphis, TN 38157
The purpose of this ongoing study is to examine the potential contextual variables that contribute to smoking initiation, maintenance, cessation, and relapse among Brazilian working women through quantitative and qualitative assessments. The focus on factors associated with smoking among Brazilian working women is timely since an increase in the numbers of working women is occurring in parallel to a suggested increase in the incidence of smoking among Brazilian women; an increase that is not matched by prevention and cessation interventions in the workplace. Preliminary results indicate that although Brazilian working women display knowledge about the hazards of smoking, they tend to believe that they are not personally at risk. Participants tend to believe that smoking helps them to manage anxiety and depression. However, a common theme is that smoking gives them pleasure, and they tend to smoke when they are relaxed and in social situations (the sensuality of smoking). They tend not to rely on smoking cessation programs or aids. They believe that counter-advertising would have a great impact on assisting women to refrain from smoking initiation and help them quit. These campaigns should focus not only on health benefits of quitting, but also on vanity and preservation of beauty. Being around smokers, particularly in the household, seems to be the greatest contributor to smoking maintenance. The primary motivation to quit smoking is their children. This presentation will focus on detailed information regarding the sociocultural factors associated with smoking among Brazilian working women under the proposed theoretical model.
Learning Objectives:
Keywords: Women's Health, Tobacco
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.