International Union for Circumpolar Health Ministry of Public Health and Social Development of RF Russian Academy of Medical Sciences Siberian Branch of Russian Academy of Medical Sciences Siberian Branch of Russian Academy of Sciences Medical Polar Fund “Science” The Northern Forum

Abstracts

Alcohol, smoking, and drug abuse

Background: Tobacco use interventions have not been evaluated among Alaska Native adolescents. This study employed focus group methodology to explore preferences for tobacco cessation interventions and barriers to participation among Alaska Native adolescents ages 11-18 years residing in Western Alaska.

Methods: A total of 12 focus groups of Alaska Native adolescent current tobacco users were conducted, with 4 focus groups held in each of three villages in Western Alaska. Within each village, the focus groups were designed to include participants of the same gender and age (11-14 and 15-18). Participants were 49 adolescents (61% female) with a mean age of 14.6 (SD=1.6). Participants completed a brief demographic and tobacco use history form. Statements and observations from the focus groups were transcribed for content coding and analysis of the major themes.

Results: The themes from the focus groups were consistent across village, gender and age groups. Program location or site, teen-focused activities, and a group-based format were consistently found to be important attributes of cessation programs across the focus groups. Important motivators to quit tobacco were the perceived adverse health effects of tobacco, improved self-image and appearance, and the potential to be a future role model as a non-tobacco user for their family and friends. Parents were perceived as potentially supportive to the adolescent in quitting tobacco, and the teens had many suggestions as to how parents could provide support. The primary barriers to quitting tobacco use were addiction and cravings, the social acceptance of tobacco use, and the lack of resources available to quit.

Conclusion: The preferences for interventions and barriers to participation reported by the adolescents will be useful in developing tobacco cessation programs.

Note. Abstracts are published in author's edition

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Last update: 06-Jul-2012 (11:52:05)