How can we help African American substance users stop smoking? client and agency perspectives

ABSTRACT

Research is needed to better understand barriers to smoking cessation and sustained abstinence among racial/ethnic minority polydrug users. We conducted community dialogue groups involving 49 clients in substance use treatment programs with predominantly ethnic minority clientele and individual dialogues/interviews with seven program providers (stakeholders). Most clients were African American, under 40 years old, women, current smokers, and high school graduates. Smoking cessation services in these programs were considered inadequate and community programs insufficiently culturally tailored and economically and geographically inaccessible. Participants discussed individual “willpower” and choice; agency tobacco-related programs and policies; the relationships between smoking, smoking cessation, and treatment goals; and steps needed to reshape agency services and policies to provide greater support for smoking cessation in this at-risk population.

KEYWORDS:

• African American
• cigarette smoking
• qualitative methods
• smoking cessation
• substance use disorder treatment
• tobacco control policy

Acknowledgments

The authors express deep appreciation to the organizations, agencies, and individuals whose cooperation made the conduct of this study possible.

Additional information

Funding

Funding for this study was received from the University of California Tobacco-Related Diseases Research Program, #17BT1200, #17BT-1201, and the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities, NIMHD Grants #U54RR026138-01, #U54MD007598, #PZ0MD00182.