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American Public Health Association
133rd Annual Meeting & Exposition
December 10-14, 2005
Philadelphia, PA
APHA 2005
 
5147.0: Wednesday, December 14, 2005 - 3:06 PM

Abstract #118088

Community specific smoking cessation programs: Success in the LGBT community

Jeffrey Bailey, MPH, HIV Prevention/Education, Los Angeles Gay and Lesbian Community Center, 1125 N McCadden Place, Los Angeles, CA 90038, 323-860-7328, jeffcoleb@hotmail.com

The prevalence of smoking among lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) individuals in the U.S. is twice that of the general population and greater than that of any other minority group. Traditional smoking cessation programs have historically ignored the particular needs of this community. The recent discovery that tobacco use increases the probability of medical complications in HIV-positive individuals further indicates the need for greater attention to the specific interests of LGBT smokers.

The proposed presentation will explore preliminary findings from multiple LGBT-specific smoking cessation groups offered by the L.A. Gay & Lesbian Center. The cessation program was added to the existing Tobacco Control and Prevention Program in the summer of 2004. Preliminary data reveals a retention rate of (72%) and a success rate of (84%) among participants who attended at least four out of seven group meetings. Moreover, discussions within the groups and weekly evaluations indicate that participants feel it is crucial to the cohesiveness, honesty and success of the group that participants be able to relate to one another in regards to sexual orientation, gender identity and community affiliation.

Findings presented will explore results of a community-targeted approach to smoking cessation programs which utilizes knowledge of the unique interests and characteristics of the community to design a more engaging and appealing program. The impact of this model on increasing retention and success rates will also be discussed. Findings will additionally report on how to effectively design, implement and market a community-specific smoking cessation program.

Learning Objectives: Learning Objectives