Back to Annual Meeting Page		American Public Health Association 133rd Annual Meeting & Exposition December 10-14, 2005 Philadelphia, PA

Abstract #110242

Isabel C. Scarinci, PhD, MPH¹, Sharina D. Person, PhD², Andrea Silveira, MA³, Daniele Figueiredo Dos Santos, BS⁴, Anthony Goudie², and Bettina M. Beech, DrPH, MPH⁵. (1) Division of Preventive Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, MT 609, 1530 3rd Avenue South, Birmingham, AL 35294, (205) 975-7177, iscarinci@dopm.uab.edu, (2) Department of Preventive Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, 1717 11th Avenue South, MT 612, Birmingham, AL 35205, (3) Psychology, Pontificia Universidade Catolica do Parana, Rua Bento Viana, 1140, Curitiba, 80240, Brazil, (4) Psychology, Instituto Ethos de Pesquisa Aplicada, Av. Comendador Franco, 5332, Curitiba, 81560-000, Brazil, (5) Psychology, University of Memphis, Psychology Building, Memphis, TN 38157

We examined the risk reducing beliefs about tobacco use among 967 Brazilian women in the workforce. Participants (149 current smokers, 129 former smokers, and 689 never smokers) were asked to complete a survey to better understand the sociocultural factors associated with tobacco use among Brazilian women in the workforce. Participants were asked to rate risk reducing beliefs statements in a 4-point Likert scale ranging from 1 (no reduction in risk) to 4 (no longer be at risk). For example, “if a smoker maintains a healthy diet, how much would she reduce her health risks associated with tobacco use” This question was repeated to assess their beliefs about exercising regularly, switching to a light cigarette, decreasing the number of cigarettes to less than 10 cigarettes daily, and getting regular check-up. The results indicated that there significant differences between never smokers and current/former smokers with regard to maintaining a healthy diet; between never smokers and current smokers with regard to exercising regularly, having regular check-ups, and decreasing the number of cigarettes daily; and between former and current smokers with regard to exercising regularly and having regular check-ups (all p's >.01). The overall direction of these associations were that never (and, for some variables, former smokers) tended to endorse “no reduction in risk” more often than current smokers. These results suggest that risk reducing beliefs about tobacco use is an important variable to consider when designing smoking prevention and cessation interventions to this group of women.

Learning Objectives:

• Recognize some risk reducing beliefs about tobacco use among Brazilian women in the workforce
• Identify these risk reducing beliefs among current, former, and never smokers

Keywords: Workforce, Tobacco Control

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

I wish to disclose that I have NO financial interests or other relationship with the manufactures of commercial products, suppliers of commercial services or commercial supporters.