Abstract
The aim of this collaborative public health study was to engage families, agencies, and programs in reducing secondhand smoke exposure in Central Harlem, New York City. Baseline interviews (n=657) and focus groups (n=4) were conducted with adult members of households with children who had asthma and asthma-like symptoms in the Harlem Children's Zone Asthma Initiative. The interviews concerned the prevalence and determinants of exposure of enrolled children to secondhand smoke. Key findings were that participants: (1) were generally aware of the hazards of secondhand smoke; (2) used strategies to reduce exposure to secondhand smoke in their homes; (3) believed that outdoor pollutants are sometimes just as bad for the health of their children as secondhand smoke; and (4) used smoking to provide stress relief and help diffuse otherwise volatile situations in their homes. The Harlem Smoke-Free Home Campaign was launched in October 2007 based in part on these findings.
Original language | English (US) |
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Pages (from-to) | 107-121 |
Number of pages | 15 |
Journal | Journal of health care for the poor and underserved |
Volume | 20 |
Issue number | 1 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - Feb 2009 |
Keywords
- African American health
- Asthma
- Child health
- Health disparities
- Health policy
- Respiratory health
- Secondhand smoke
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health