Abstract
Lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) people are affected by multiple health disparities and risk factors, including tobacco use. Few studies to date have examined tobacco use specifically in rural LGB populations, and none has investigated the intersections of identity, rural LGB culture, and tobacco. The purpose of this study was to explore the perspective of Appalachian LGB people regarding tobacco use.
METHODS: Nineteen LGB-identified Appalachian residents participated in audiotaped, semi-structured interviews. Two authors analyzed and coded transcripts through constant comparison, and determined themes through consensus.
RESULTS: Five themes emerged: the convergence of Appalachian and LGB identities, tacit awareness of LGB identity by others, culture and tobacco use, perceived associations with tobacco use, and health beliefs and health care.
CONCLUSIONS: LGB Appalachians connect stress and culture to tobacco, but seem less aware that partial concealment of their identity might be a source of the stress that could influence their smoking.
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
11-2014
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
http://dx.doi.org/10.1353/hpu.2014.0186
Funding Information
This study was funded by a grant from National Center for Advancing Translation Sciences, National Institutes of Health (no. KL2TR000116.)
Repository Citation
Bennett, Keisa; Ricks, JaNelle M.; and Howell, Britteny M., ""It's Just a Way of Fitting In:" Tobacco Use and the Lived Experience of Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual Appalachians" (2014). Family and Community Medicine Faculty Publications. 2.
https://uknowledge.uky.edu/familymedicine_facpub/2
Table 1: PARTICIPANT DEMOGRAPHICS
Table 2.jpg (147 kB)
Table 2: DISTRIBUTION OF TOBACCO USE
Box 1.jpg (200 kB)
Box 1: QUESTIONS INCLUDED IN THE INTERVIEW GUIDE FOR SEMI-STRUCTURED PILOT INTERVIEWS. NOTE THAT THE QUESTION GUIDE INCLUDED INTRODUCTORY AND TRANSITIONAL STATEMENTS AS WELL AS PROMPTS TO PROBE LESS DETAILED ANSWERS FURTHER.
Notes/Citation Information
Published in The Journal of Health Care for the Poor and Underserved, v. 25, no. 4, p. 1646-1666.
Copyright © 2014 The Johns Hopkins University Press. This article first appeared in The Journal of Health Care for the Poor and Underserved, Volume 25, Issue 4, Nov., 2014, pages 1646-1666.