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Smoking Among Low-Income Pregnant Women: An Ethnographic Analysis

Department of Anthropology, University of Arizona, Tucson, mimin{at}u.arizona.edu

Mark Nichter, PhD, MPH

Department of Anthropology, University of Arizona, Tucson

Myra Muramoto, MD, MPH

Department of Family and Community Medicine, University of Arizona, Tucson

Shelly Adrian, MA

Department of Anthropology, University of Arizona, Tucson

Kate Goldade, MA

Department of Anthropology, University of Arizona, Tucson

Laura Tesler, PhD

Department of Anthropology, University of Arizona, Tucson

Jennifer Thompson, MA

Department of Anthropology, University of Arizona, Tucson

This article presents findings from a qualitative study of 53 low-income women who were smokers at the onset of pregnancy. Study participants were interviewed during pregnancy to document smoking trajectories and factors contributing to, or undermining, harm reduction and quit attempts. Thirty percent of women quit smoking completely, 43% engaged in sustained harm reduction, and 26% reduced their smoking levels intermittently. Case studies of women are presented to illustrate reasons for quitting, harm reduction practices, and factors influencing relapse and smoking continuation. Women's motivations to quit are highlighted. Moral identity as a mother was found to be a key motivating factor behind women's quit attempts. Future programs targeting this population would do well to acknowledge moral identity as an issue and recognize the challenges of quitting for women with limited social support and little control over their immediate environment.

Key Words: pregnancy • smoking • tobacco • qualitative data • ethnography • harm reduction

This version was published on October 1, 2007

Health Education & Behavior, Vol. 34, No. 5, 748-764 (2007)
DOI: 10.1177/1090198106290397


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