Social, environmental, and societal variables influencing African American participation and tobacco cessation programs: A pilot study

Kentucky leads the nation in several categories of adult and youth smoking. A culture that is rich in the history of tobacco growth has been slow to relinquish rights that would ensure less personal and secondhand exposure to cigarette smoking. As a subgroup, African-American smokers in Kentucky, are less likely to seek smoking cessation programs, utilize pharmaceutical quit aids, and are more likely to smoke menthol and higher tar cigarettes. In response to the need for viable solutions toward reducing the morbidity and mortality associated with smoking and nicotine dependence among African-Americans, the Tobacco Disparities Network was formed. Based in the capitol city of Frankfort, the network was started with collaborative partners that included individuals from HBCU's, community leaders, ministers from African-American churches across the Commonwealth, an expert in the Behavioral Risk Factor Survey, and tobacco researchers from the University of Kentucky. One of the goals of the network was to identify culturally relevant evidence-based smoking cessation programs and interventions. After reviewing available resources and in consideration of funding priorities from CDC, we designed a demonstration project to enhance the likelihood that African-American smokers would call the 1-800 Cancer Quit Line. The current project describes the development of the community partnerships with churches, unique aspects of the survey design capturing zip codes, responses from a congregant survey on health needs, and the results of focus groups facilitated by compensated and trained church members. The collaborative partnership between the Academic Community and the Church Minister is the hallmark of the study.