Nicotine replacement therapy: perceptions of African-American smokers seeking to quit.
OBJECTIVE
To explore why some African-American smokers choose not to use nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) when attempting smoking cessation.


METHODS
Semistructured audiotaped qualitative telephone interviews.


METHODS
Thirty-three participants who were enrolled in a five-week cessation program were offered free NRT. Participants were asked to share their experiences and perceptions about trying to quit smoking.


METHODS
Data related to NRT perceptions were analyzed using an interpretive approach.


RESULTS
Participant comments suggested two issues that may help explain why some African-American smokers do not use NRT when attempting cessation. First, many participants expressed concerns about the nicotine dose in NRT and worried that using it would increase nicotine dependence. Second, there was considerable discussion about NRT's ambiguous status as a "drug" (along with sometimes-unrealistic expectations for its efficacy independent of human effort) and concern about lack of control over drug delivery and absorption. For many participants, NRT contrasted unfavorably with cigarettes and was seen as unfamiliar and worrisome.


CONCLUSIONS
Differences in how cigarettes and NRT products are marketed convey different (and highly inaccurate) social messages about their social value and relative risks of harming consumers. Better positioning NRT as a social object through innovative marketing, improved delineation of relative risks and facilitating strategic discussions about ways to tailor NRT use may decrease obstacles to African Americans' use of NRT.
Yerger
Valerie B
VB
Department of Social & Behavioral Sciences, University of California at San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143-0612, USA. valerie.yerger@ucsf.edu
Wertz
Marcia
M
McGruder
Carol
C
Froelicher
Erika Sivarajan
ES
Malone
Ruth E
RE
D000328:Adult; D001741:Black or African American; D001294:Attitude to Health; D005260:Female; D015438:Health Behavior; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009538:Nicotine; D010465:Perception; D010865:Pilot Projects; D015397:Program Evaluation; D036301:Qualitative Research; D012309:Risk-Taking; D012907:Smoking / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology*; D016540:Smoking Cessation / Q000379:methods* / Q000523:psychology; D000074606:Smoking Prevention; D013637:Tape Recording; D014029:Tobacco Use Disorder / Q000188:drug therapy*; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology
D009538:Nicotine