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

Abstract #118514

Tracey L. O’Dell, RN and Icilda Dickerson, MSA. Ohio Tobacco Use Prevention and Control Foundation, 300 East Broad Street, Suite 310, Columbus, OH 43215, 614 466 1699, idickerson@standohio.org

Appalachians have a unique lifestyle and their distrust of “outsiders” poses a problem to health promotion and behavior efforts. What is problematic to tobacco control efforts is the ready acceptance of tobacco usage as the norm in the Appalachian culture. Close to 30% of Appalachians who live in 29 counties in Ohio adults use tobacco. A large number of the youth and adults use spit tobacco products. This presentation will draw lessons of experience from two examples of tobacco prevention programs targeting the Appalachian population and funded by the Ohio Tobacco Prevention and Control Foundation and highlight the unique cultural characteristics and prevalent barriers. One grant covering Gallia, Jackson, and Meigs Counties has successfully implemented Stay Tobacco-Free Athlete Mentor Program, Tobacco Awareness Program, and Tobacco Education Group for youth, Fresh Start Program for pregnant women and 5A's for adults. Another grant covers Athens which has fairly high smoking rate of 32% among adults. A survey of youth in 2003 revealed that more Athens county youth reported using tobacco than their peers in the country. To reduce youth tobacco use initiation, this program implemented the Eglin Long-Horn (Florida) Curriculum to fourth graders. This grant achieved good success also with pregnant women with survey showing 80% of pregnant women to have stopped using tobacco for one day or longer. Programmatic barriers included poor pre-natal participation by pregnant women in cessation programs, difficulty in recruiting youth participants as well as in providing youth cessation services during school hours.

Learning Objectives: At the conclusion of the session, the participants would be able to

1). Understand the cultural characteristics, myths and stereotypes, and prevalent barriers such as Appalachians’ distrust of “outsiders.” 2). Recognize the current prevalence of tobacco use (particularly smokeless tobacco use) and the socio-cultural context in the Appalachian region.
• Recognize strategies to effectively outreach these communities for reduction of high tobacco use, particularly smokeless tobacco use in Appalachian communities

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.