The 131st Annual Meeting (November 15-19, 2003) of APHA

Abstract #65437

John P. Sanchez, MPH and Billy De Los Santos, MS. Albert Einstein College of Medicine, 1945 Eastchester Rd, 6A, Bronx, NY 10461, (718) 794-4254, jsanchez@aecom.yu.edu

In the Spring of 2002, the Bronx Lesbian and Gay Health Resource Consortium (the “Consortium”) received funding from the American Legacy Foundation for their proposal entitled "Queer and Healthy in the Bronx: Smoking Cessation Program for Lesbians and their Families". The funding has enabled the organization to investigate the specific preferences and needs of Bronx-based lesbian and bisexual smokers and implement a culturally appropriate smoking cessation program. An initial needs assessment/recruitment activity conducted amongst 170 Bronx women, recruited from lesbian-identified venues during the summer of 2002, showed that 68.6% were current smokers, of which 51.3% were interested in a smoking cessation program. The women interviewed were primarily Black or Hispanic (98%), smoked cigarettes on at least 20 out of 30 days per month (65%), and smoked at least 6 cigarettes per day (51%). Furthermore, nearly 46% desired a primary care referral to a gay-friendly provider. These women constitute the first set of participants in the Consortium’s eight-week smoking cessation program, entitled “Gurlz Kick Ash!” The intervention group will be enrolled in the eight-week counseling group, will receive a referral to one of the Consortium’s gay-sensitive primary care providers, and will be offered free nicotine patches. The control group will consist of women who are content with their primary care provider and will only receive smoking cessation information for themselves and their doctors. This presentation will detail the design, implementation, and 6-month evaluation of the Consortium's new smoking cessation program, entitled "Gurlz Kick Ash!"

Learning Objectives:

• To describe the development and implementation of a culturally-sensitive smoking cessation program targeting inner-city lesbian and bisexual women
• To discuss results for the first 6-months of the program
• To describe the evaluation strategy and discuss how initial findings have helped to improve upon the content of the program

Keywords: Smoking Cessation, Lesbian

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: Bronx Lesbian and Gay Health Resource Consortium
I have a significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.
Relationship: Board Member