Back to Annual Meeting Page		American Public Health Association 133rd Annual Meeting & Exposition December 10-14, 2005 Philadelphia, PA

Abstract #118088

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

At the conclusion of the presentation, participants in this session will be able to
• Identify how community-specific smoking cessation programs may be utilized to achieve greater success within a community.
• Analyze preliminary results and lessons learned from data and comments collected during multiple cessation groups designed for the LGBT community.
• Develop a successful smoking cessation program geared to the unique needs of an identified minority group.

Keywords: Tobacco, Community Programs

Presenting author's disclosure statement:


I wish to disclose that I have NO financial interests or other relationship with the manufactures of commercial products, suppliers of commercial services or commercial supporters.

Smoking Cessation Interventions in Special Populations

The 133rd Annual Meeting & Exposition (December 10-14, 2005) of APHA