Development of a culturally targeted smoking cessation intervention for African American smokers

Abstract

In this paper we describe the development a culturally targeted (CT) smoking cessation intervention for low-to-middle income African-American smokers. Based on theoretically based guidelines, modifications were made to a standard treatment manual for group-based smoking cessation counseling that incorporates cognitive-behavioral, motivational, and twelve step skills. Approximately 41% of the standard treatment materials were modified, and four new modules were developed. A pilot study was conducted to compare acceptability, feasibility and early outcome indicates in African American smokers randomized to the CT intervention compared with existing data from African American smokers treated using a non-targeted standard approach (ST). Outcomes from the CT pilot study were promising: results showed high levels of feasibility, acceptability and better adherence to nicotine replacement therapy, higher quit rates, and better retention and follow-up compared with the ST. Findings suggest that a culturally targeted and intensive group based smoking cessation treatment is plausibly effective in improving smoking cessation outcomes in African American smokers, warranting a larger randomized trial.

Fig. 1

a Example of standard treatment (left) and culturally targeted treatment (right) module in Session 4 on weight gain that may be experienced during smoking cessation. Note the peripheral strategies and relevance to African Americans in the CT version. b Additional module in the CT manual presented in Session 5 on famous African Americans who have died of tobacco-related disease, as an evidential strategy for cultural targeting. c Additional module in the CT manual presented in Session 6 on the history of tobacco in African ancestors, as a sociocultural strategy for cultural targeting

Fig. 1

a Example of standard treatment (left) and culturally targeted treatment (right) module in Session 4 on weight gain that may be experienced during smoking cessation. Note the peripheral strategies and relevance to African Americans in the CT version. b Additional module in the CT manual presented in Session 5 on famous African Americans who have died of tobacco-related disease, as an evidential strategy for cultural targeting. c Additional module in the CT manual presented in Session 6 on the history of tobacco in African ancestors, as a sociocultural strategy for cultural targeting