Network for Tobacco Control among Women in Antioquia, Colombia

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Abstract An understanding of women and their tobacco-related issues, as well as the need for the development of gender-relevant tobacco control efforts, have been highlighted as priorities in landmark guiding documents (e.g., WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control – WHO FCTC, Kobe Declaration, the Research for International Tobacco Control [RITC] Agenda on Setting Tobacco Control Research and Priorities for Latin America and the Caribbean). The overall purpose of the Network for Tobacco Control among Women in Antioquia, Colombia, is to establish community and institutional capacity to promote gender-relevant tobacco control efforts among Colombian women. The goals of the “Network” are to reduce tobacco use and exposure to environmental tobacco smoke among women in Antioquia. These goals will be accomplished utilizing the principles of Community-Based Participatory Research and the Empowerment Model, and will be guided by a multi-level approach that will address four target levels: individuals, organizational systems, policy makers, and agents-of-change across the major components of tobacco control across the lifespan (prevention, cessation, environmental tobacco exposure, and policy). We will first establish a network of representatives (e.g., education, health, policy) across the department of Antioquia followed by capacity building in which network partners will train and empower each other to carry forward the Network mission. The next step will consist of a needs/assets assessment phase in which network partners will assist in the identification of needs/assets regarding tobacco control among (and for) women in order to establish priority areas for intervention. Based on the results of these assessments, network partners, in consultation with their constituents, will develop a Community Action Plan (CAP), which will consist of a comprehensive tobacco control plan targeting women in Antioquia. As required by the Program Announcement, we will implement a pilot project in Year 2, addressing one of the research priorities identified by the network. In synergism with these efforts, we will implement a Tobacco Control among Women Workshop targeting academicians, professionals, and students.