Ceremonial tobacco use in the Andes: Implications for smoking prevention among indigenous youth

• Autores: Alderete, Ethel del Carmen; Erickson, Pamela I.; Kaplan, Celia P.; Pérez Stable, Eliseo J.
• Año de publicación: 2010
• Idioma: inglés
• Tipo de recurso: artículo
• Materia: ADOLESCENTS; INDIGENOUS PEOPLES; LATIN AMERICA; TOBACCO USE
• Institución: Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas

The purpose of this study was to identify Andean youth's beliefs regarding ceremonial tobacco use and to discuss potential applications of findings in tobacco control interventions. The study was conducted in the Province of Jujuy, Argentina among 202 boys and girls, 10 to 20 years of age, living in rural and urban areas. The world of beliefs and meanings became accessible by asking youth to focus on tangible experiences regarding the Pachamama ceremony, a ritual honoring Mother Earth. Concepts such as reciprocity, the unity of material and spiritual realms, and the complementary nature of opposite forces were linked to beliefs about ceremonial tobacco use. Three domains for understanding smoking behaviour beliefs and norms were identified including mechanisms of production, conceptual tenants and behavioural expressions. These findings suggest that tobacco control interventions based on solidarity, reciprocity, and non-rational ways of learning are more culturally appropriate for native populations in the Andes than the current individual behaviour change models and have the potential applications with other indigenous populations. The research methods also have the potential for generalized application in cross-cultural studies of health behaviours in understudied populations in middle and low-income countries.
Fil: Alderete, Ethel del Carmen. Universidad Nacional de Jujuy; Argentina. Instituto de Ciencia y Tecnología Regional; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Salta; Argentina
Fil: Erickson, Pamela I.. University of Connecticut; Estados Unidos
Fil: Kaplan, Celia P.. University of California; Estados Unidos
Fil: Pérez Stable, Eliseo J.. University of California; Estados Unidos