Minority Women's Health

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Smoking

Minority Women's Health > Hispanic Americans/Latinas > Health Topics > Smoking

• Resources in English
• Recursos en español

Women smoke for different reasons. Some women smoke to deal with stress or control their weight. Younger women may start smoking to rebel, be more independent, or be accepted by their friends.

Rates of smoking for Hispanic/Latina women are lower than the rates of smoking in other groups of women. Still, lung cancer is the second cause of cancer deaths among Hispanic/Latina women (behind breast cancer). And the death rates for lung cancer in Hispanic/Latina women have increased every year. Hispanic/Latina high school students smoke at higher rates than older Hispanic/Latina women. The good news is that the smoking rate among Hispanic/Latino high school students went down over 35 percent between 1997 and 2004.

There is never a good reason to smoke. Smoking causes serious health problems, including:

• cancer
• heart disease
• stroke
• lung disease
• gum disease
• eye problems that can lead to blindness

Women who smoke are at increased risk for cervical cancer. Women who take birth control pills and also smoke have a higher risk of stroke.

Smoking can make illnesses last longer and make it harder to get pregnant.

These are just a few of the health problems caused by smoking. Smoking also stains your teeth, fingers, and fingernails, gives you bad breath, and causes wrinkles.

Resources in English

Publications

1.   What You Need To Know About™ Lung Cancer - The diagnosis of lung cancer brings with it many questions and a need for clear, understandable answers. This National Cancer Institute (NCI) booklet provides information about some causes and ways to prevent lung cancer, and it describes the symptoms, detection, diagnosis, and treatment of this disease.

   http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/wyntk/lung

2. Cigarette Smoking and Cardiovascular Diseases (Copyright © AHA) - This pamphlet informs the reader about how smoking can increase your risk of coronary heart disease. It also mentions how smoking can increase the risk of stroke and peripheral arterial disease.

   http://www.americanheart.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=4545

3. Guide to Quitting Smoking (Copyright © ACS) - This publication provides detailed information on why you should quit smoking, how you can quit, how you can deal with withdrawal symptoms and more.

   http://www.cancer.org/docroot/PED/content/PED_10_13X_Guide_for_Quitting_Smoking.asp...

4. Smoking and Hispanics Fact Sheet (Copyright © ALA) - This fact sheet contains current statistics about the smoking rate among the hispanic population.

   http://www.lungusa.org/site/pp.asp?c=dvLUK9O0E&b=36002

Organizations

1.   Cancer.gov
2.   National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, NIH, HHS
3.   National Tobacco Quitline, TCRB, NCI, NIH, HHS
4. American Cancer Society
5. American Lung Association

= Indicates Federal Resources

Recursos en español

Publicaciones

1.   Tabaquismo: Información en Español - NWHIC ha creado esta página para dar poder a las Señoras y señoritas, y a la gente quienes aman, a respirar limpiamente! Gana la independencia del mundo rancio del tabaquísmo al usar nuestra información y recursos. Aprende de los efectos específicos del tabaquísmo a su salud y aprende como puede conquistar las barreras de dejar de fumar.

   http://www.womenshealth.gov/espanol/tabaquismo/

2.   El tabaquismo entre adultos: salud del aparato reproductor - Esta hoja informativa contiene información sobre la relación entre la salud del aparato reproductor y el tabaquismo.

   http://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/data_statistics/sgr/sgr_2004/highlights/espanol/5.htm

3.   ¿Cómo puedo dejar de fumar? (Copyright © American Heart Association) - Esta publicación contiene sugerencias para dejar de fumar y contesta preguntas acerca del tabaquismo.

   http://www.americanheart.org/downloadable/heart/110186768682334-Quit%20Smoking.pdf...

4. Dejar de fumar (Copyright © ALA) - Esta publicación ofrece consejos para los fumadores que deciden dejar el cigarrillo.

   http://www.lungusa.org/site/pp.asp?c=dvLUK9O0E&b=36787

5. Información sobre el cáncer de pulmón (Copyright © American Lung Association) - Esta publicación ofrece información general sobre el cáncer del pulmón y también informa sobre las razones del pór que hay que dejar de fumar.

   http://www.lungusa.org/site/c.dvLUK9O0E/b.36863/k.6058/Informacin_Sobre_El_Cncer_De_Pulmon.htm...

Organizaciones

1.   Administración de Drogas y Alimentos
2.   Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, OPHS, HHS en español
3.   Cancer.gov en Español
4.   Centros para el Control y la Prevención de Enfermedades, HHS
5. American Lung Association en español
6. Sociedad Americana del Cáncer

= Recurso Federal

Current as of December 2007