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“It’s Worse to Breathe It Than to Smoke It”: Secondhand Smoke Beliefs in a Group of Mexican and Central American Immigrants in the United States

Author

Listed:
  • Thomas A. Arcury

    (Department of Family and Community Medicine, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC 27157, USA)

  • Grisel Trejo

    (Department of Family and Community Medicine, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC 27157, USA)

  • DaKysha Moore

    (Department of Visual, Performing, & Communication Arts, Johnson C. Smith University, Charlotte, NC 28216, USA)

  • Timothy D. Howard

    (Department of Biochemistry, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC 27157, USA)

  • Sara A. Quandt

    (Department of Epidemiology and Prevention, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC 27157, USA)

  • Edward H. Ip

    (Department of Biostatistics and Data Science, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC 27157, USA)

  • Joanne C. Sandberg

    (Department of Family and Community Medicine, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC 27157, USA)

Abstract

This analysis describes beliefs about secondhand smoke and its health effects held by Mexican and Central American immigrants in North Carolina. Data from 60 semistructured, in-depth interviews were subjected to saliency analysis. Participant discussions of secondhand smoke centered on four domains: (1) familiarity and definition of secondhand smoke, (2) potency of secondhand smoke, (3) general health effects of secondhand smoke, and (4) child health effects of secondhand smoke. Secondhand smoke was generally believed to be more harmful than primary smoke. Mechanisms for the potency and health effects of secondhand smoke involved the smell of secondhand smoke, secondhand smoke being an infection and affecting the immune system, and personal strength being protective of secondhand smoke. Understanding these health beliefs informs a framework for further health education and intervention to reduce smoking and secondhand smoke exposure in this vulnerable population.

Suggested Citation

  • Thomas A. Arcury & Grisel Trejo & DaKysha Moore & Timothy D. Howard & Sara A. Quandt & Edward H. Ip & Joanne C. Sandberg, 2020. "“It’s Worse to Breathe It Than to Smoke It”: Secondhand Smoke Beliefs in a Group of Mexican and Central American Immigrants in the United States," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(22), pages 1-12, November.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:17:y:2020:i:22:p:8630-:d:448366
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Arcury, Thomas A. & Quandt, Sara A. & Bell, Ronny A., 2001. "Staying healthy: the salience and meaning of health maintenance behaviors among rural older adults in North Carolina," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 53(11), pages 1541-1556, December.
    2. Gayle C. Windham & Jasmine W. Soriano & Dina Dobraca & Connie S. Sosnoff & Robert A. Hiatt & Lawrence H. Kushi, 2019. "Environmental Tobacco Smoke Exposure in Relation to Family Characteristics, Stressors and Chemical Co-Exposures in California Girls," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(21), pages 1-14, October.
    3. Huang, J. & King, B.A. & Babb, S.D. & Xu, X. & Hallett, C. & Hopkins, M., 2015. "Sociodemographic disparities in local smoke-free law coverage in 10 states," American Journal of Public Health, American Public Health Association, vol. 105(9), pages 1806-1813.
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