First Hand Perspective: Understanding Smoking Behaviors among Adults in La Trinidad

Abstract

The study focused on the smoking behaviors of adults in La Trinidad, Benguet. Specifically, the study aimed it capture the informant’s lived experiences and the factors that explain their success or failure in stopping smoking; the study also determined their perceptions and experiences that shaped their decisions regarding smoking and the outcome of such decisions. The study was conducted from November, 2014 to March, 2015 in La Trinidad, Benguet. It utilized the qualitative narrative research approach in gathering and analysis of data. This study involved 11 participants for the Key Informant Interview (KII), five participants for the Group Discussion (GD) while four participants were involved in the Informal Interviews (II) who are selected based from set criteria, narrative approach allowed the researchers to acquire information in the in-depth experiences from their participants. For the findings of the study, the following themes per domain have emerged; As to Starting to Smoke; the culprit; curiosity, barkada, freebies: Cigar anyone? For the Age of Smoking; Smoking minors, Adults smoker and Working smokers; As to the Smoking Mentors; Influential Peers, Army of Cigar; For the Smoking Environment; Social Environment and Working Environment; For the Feel of Smoking; Soothing smoke, Smoke to choke, “Sindi-sindi to be stress free” and Tired when smoking; For the aftermath of smoking; negative permanent effects and positive momentary effects of smoking; for Abating Smoking, 100% No to Smoking and; for the Factors Explaining the Success and Failure of Curtailing smoking; Job well done and Failed to Stop Smoking. Seeing that most participants learned how to smoke at their early age and failed to stop smoking, partnership of health care providers and the LGU is a must to assist the smoker in stopping their vice. Also, parents should model healthy lifestyle to their children. Thus, use of IEC materials is encouraged to increase the awareness of smokers regarding the negative effects of smoking.