?url_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Adc&rft.relation=http%3A%2F%2Fd-scholarship-dev.library.pitt.edu%2F8859%2F&rft.title=Tobacco+Use+During+and+After+Pregnancy%3A+The+Smoking+Behaviors+of+African+American+Women+and+Their+Attempts+to+Quit&rft.creator=Gilchrist%2C+Kellie+D.&rft.description=Minorities+suffer+disproportionately+from+tobacco+smoke-related+morbidity+and+mortality+nationwide.+Tobacco-related+illnesses+are+responsible+for+approximately+47%2C000+deaths+of+African+Americans+annually.+Furthermore%2C+greater+tobacco-+related+health+disparities+exist+among+African+American+women+in+the+state+of+Pennsylvania+and+the+city+of+Pittsburgh%3B+as+the+local+and+state+maternal+smoke+rates+exceed+the+national+average.+Additionally%2C+low+birth+weight+and+infant+mortality+rates+linked+to+maternal+smoking+has+been+disproportionately+elevated+among+African+American+women+in+this+geographical+area.+African+American+mothers+who+quit+smoking+generally+have+higher+relapse+rates+than+their+Caucasian+counterparts.+Research+limitations+in+understanding+the+smoking+cessation%2C+self-+quitting+and+relapse+prevention+among+African+American+women+particularly+in+Pittsburgh%2C+PA%3B+serves+as+a+foundation+for+this+study.+Thus%2C+two+focus+groups+were+conducted+with+a+sample+of+13+African+American+maternal+smokers+in+the+Pittsburgh+area+to+assess+their+smoking+and+quitting+experiences+as+well+as+their+unmet+needs+for+cessation+treatment.+A+brief+survey+was+administered+to+ascertain+the+participants'+socio+demographic+characteristics.+The+data+collected+mirror+previous+research+as+nicotine+addiction%2C+stress+and+poor+social+surroundings+act+as+barriers+to+successful+quitting.+The+women+identified+willpower+as+the+key+to+permanent+smoking+cessation+but+lack+the+self-efficacy+to+quit.+Recommendations+for+advanced+investigations+and+cessation+programs+for+this+population+are+provided.+The+findings+from+this+exploratory+study+are+significant+to+public+health+research+as+they+provide+a+guide+for+future+research+and+offer+valuable+insight+for+modifying+and+creating+effective+smoking+cessation+interventions+for+African+American+women%3B+which+can+produce+long+term+effects+by+decreasing+the+maternal+smoking+rate+disparity+in+Pittsburgh%2C+Pennsylvania.&rft.date=2007-09-27&rft.type=University+of+Pittsburgh+ETD&rft.type=PeerReviewed&rft.format=application%2Fpdf&rft.language=en&rft.identifier=http%3A%2F%2Fd-scholarship-dev.library.pitt.edu%2F8859%2F1%2Fk_gilchrist_thesis_final.pdf&rft.identifier=++Gilchrist%2C+Kellie+D.++(2007)+Tobacco+Use+During+and+After+Pregnancy%3A+The+Smoking+Behaviors+of+African+American+Women+and+Their+Attempts+to+Quit.++Master's+Thesis%2C+University+of+Pittsburgh.++++(Unpublished)++