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APHA Scientific Session and Event Listing

Recorded presentation

Cam Escoffery, PhD¹, Michelle Kegler, DrPH¹, Susan Butler, EdD¹, Allison Groff, MPH², and Alisa Foreman, MPH³. (1) Department of Behavioral Science and Health Education, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, 1518 Clifton Road, NE, Atlanta, GA 30322, 404-727-4701, cescoff@sph.emory.edu, (2) The Helix Group, Inc., 5801 Allentown Road, Suite 206, Camp Springs, MD 20746, (3) Environmental and Occupational Health, Rollins School of Public Health, 1518 Clifton Road, NE, Atlanta, GA 30322

The purpose of the Tobacco Use in Rural Families study was to understand the factors that facilitate and inhibit families from establishing and enforcing smoke-free homes. In-person, qualitative interviews were conducted with adult family members in 102 African American and white households in rural Georgia. Eligible households had at least one child aged 10-14 living in the home. Participants were asked what would convince them to consider a stricter ban. Major themes were identified through standard qualitative analysis methods. For homes with no smoking bans, most of the respondents would consider a total ban because of the negative health effects of secondhand smoke, children's health issues, doctor's advice, and feeling that smoking is not good for them and their children. For homes with partial bans, the reasons given for considering a total ban were for their children, the bad scent of smoke in the home, if the smoker would quit, health issues, and a belief that smoking is not good. Of the smokers asked, most who live in homes with smoking restrictions reported that they feel fine with the restrictions and where they go to smoke. In enforcing smoking bans, the majority of the respondents have asked others not to smoke in their home. Of those who had asked others not to smoke, three-quarters had a positive reaction from smokers. Implications of these findings for smoke-free home interventions will also be discussed.

Learning Objectives:

• Discuss factors described by rural families for adopting a household smoking ban.
• Describe key messages based on this qualitative research to promote household smoking ban.

Keywords: Tobacco Control, Rural Health

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Any relevant financial relationships? No

Recorded presentation