Focus groups of Alaska Native adolescent tobacco users: preferences for tobacco cessation interventions and barriers to participation.
Tobacco cessation interventions developed for Alaska Native adolescents do not exist. This study employed focus group methodology to explore preferences for tobacco cessation interventions and barriers to participation among 49 Alaska Natives (61% female) with a mean age of 14.6 (SD = 1.6) who resided in western Alaska. Using content analysis, themes from the 12 focus groups were found to be consistent across village, gender, and age groups. Program location or site (e.g., away from the village, hunting, fishing), a group-based format, and inclusion of medication and personal stories were reported to be important attributes of cessation programs. 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 family and friends. Parents were perceived as potentially supportive to the adolescent in quitting tobacco. The findings will be used to develop tobacco cessation programs for Alaska Native youth.
Mayo Clinic College of Medicine, Rochester, Minnesota 55901, USA. patten.christi@mayo.edu
Christi A
CA
Patten
Carrie
C
Enoch
Caroline C
CC
Renner
Kenneth P
KP
Offord
Caroline
C
Nevak
Stacy F
SF
Kelley
Janet
J
Thomas
Paul A
PA
Decker
Richard D
RD
Hurt
Anne
A
Lanier
Judith S
JS
Kaur
D000293:Adolescent; D000413:Alaska; D002648:Child; D002755:Choice Behavior; D005260:Female; D017144:Focus Groups; D006293:Health Promotion; D006801:Humans; D033182:Intention; D004930:Inuit / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008297:Male; D009042:Motivation; D018579:Patient Selection; D012907:Smoking / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000208:ethnology*; D016540:Smoking Cessation / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D000074606:Smoking Prevention