Bridging Research to Practice: Native American Stories of Becoming Smoke-free

Abstract

The use of recreational and commercial tobacco products (nonceremonial or sacred) in North American Indian populations is alarmingly high. A qualitative study based on grounded theory and guided by social work principles was used to discover the methods, strategies, and processes 16 members of the Seneca Nation used when they quit smoking. The study revealed that participants used a five-step process to quit smoking: becoming aware, internalizing realizations, considering health, “setting in mind” to quit, and reflecting. The theory emerging from the project was named “healthy mind-setting.” The results provide a framework for health care and service providers working with Seneca recreational tobacco users and may have significant relevance for indigenous populations worldwide.