The re-shaping of life-worlds: Male UK Bangladeshi smokers and the English smoke-free legislation

Authors:
Gill Highet, Deborah Ritchie and Stephen Platt

Presenter:
Deborah Ritchie
Head of Nursing Studies / Senior Lecturer (Health Promotion and Mental Health), Medical School, University of Edinburgh, UK

Abstract
The implementation of comprehensive smoke-free legislation has been shown to be highly effective in reducing second hand smoke exposure and in supporting quitting amongst the wider population, but little is known about the impact of smoke-free laws on particular groups and communities. In this paper, we explore the impact of English smoke-free legislation on UK based Bangladeshi male smokers, a group disproportionately affected by smoking and its health consequences.

We draw on data derived from the Evaluation of Smoke-free England (ESME), a qualitative, longitudinal study conducted in two metropolitan areas in the north and south of England. The data presented here derive from repeat interviews (n = 34) conducted before and after the legislation with 15 Bangladeshi panel informants and from two focus groups, one with Bangladeshi men, the other with Bangladeshi women.

Using Kelly’s concept of the ‘life-world’, a tool for describing the different dimensions of social difference and how these interact with one another (Kelly, 2006, 2009), we explore how Bangladeshi male smokers have adapted and adjusted to English smoke-free legislation. We conclude that for maximum impact, population level measures may need to be supplemented at a local level in areas where there are high concentrations of Bangladeshi people living.

Source of funding: Department of Health (Policy Research Programme)

Declaration of interest: none

About the presenter
Deborah qualified in 1977 as Registered Nurse for Mental Health and Learning Disabilities. After qualifying she worked in adolescent and general hospital psychiatry, before moving to acute admissions at the Royal Edinburgh Hospital in 1981. In 1982 Deborah developed the innovative Intensive Psychiatric Care Unit. In 1983 she became a CPN and completed her CPN Diploma at QMUC in 1986. In 1988 she started the Craigmillar Community Health Project and this marked the beginning of her public health career both as a health promotion specialist and public health academic.