The Experience of Continued Smoking among Women in Urban Taipei

• Main Authors: Pilien-Lien Kuan, 官碧蓮
• Other Authors: Zxy-Yann Lu
• Format: Others
• Language: zh-TW
• Published: 2015
• Online Access: http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/48921808083520318387

碩士 === 國立陽明大學 === 臨床暨社區護理研究所 === 103 === In Taiwan, the prevalence rate of smoking in men is decreasing from 54.6% to 35.0%, whereas it is increasing in women from 2.3% to 4.1% during 1987 to 2010. Reportedly, the sale of cigarettes estimated by the Ministry of Finance was 0.6 billion packs of cigarettes more than the consumption of cigarettes calculated from the prevalence rate of smoking in women. The data may be indicative of the underestimation of prevalence rate of smoking in women. Therefore, the purpose of this research is not only to explore the women’s perception of smoking in the cultural context of Taiwan but also to ascertain the socio-cultural impact on women’s experiences in continued smoking in urban Taipei. Ethnographic interview and moderate participant observation were used to collect the data of habitual women smoker in urban Taipei. According to the principles of theoretical sampling, 14 females aged 20 and over who smoke daily or occasionally with the accumulated total of at least 100 cigarettes previously, working full-time were interviewed in Taipei city. The constant comparison method was applied for data analysis. The results of this research are that working women in Taipei lack of supportive resources and they linger in the experiences of continuous trials on resisting rules and regulations on smoking, while submissive to cultural constraints for women in smoking. Their experiences present three cultural themes: (1)the exploring cultural norms and limitations of smoking: women consistently explore the cultural norms and limitations of smoking. (2)nothing but smoking─what would be by my side except for smoking? Smoking is the only guardian of me: smoking is the only strategy for women to establish interpersonal networks, overcome their emotional disturbance and to reduce life stress. (3)change is for the constant─because I can’t live without smoking─swing between resisting smoking and under control by smoking. These results of the research could help medical professionals understand the cultural meanings of women’s experiences of continued smoking in urban Taipei. The suggestion is that policy makers and public health workers should be sensible of cultural context of continued smoking among women as they formulate gender-specific tobacco control policies and provide tobacco control services. With regard to nursing practices and health policies, the suggestion is also that (1) effective strategies to deal with negative emotions and stress could be provided for adolescent girls; (2) the establishment of social support networks could be enhanced and some respite care services(i.e. short-term domestic services as well as male-participated family and child care) could also be provided for working women; (3) labor conditions should be improved in order to protect women’s rights and health, for example, review and modify present working environments and working hours should be monitored strictly, the inspection of workplace should be regularly conducted, and consultation services should be provided.