Systematic Transcreation of Self-Help Smoking Cessation Materials for Hispanic/Latino Smokers: Improving Cultural Relevance and Acceptability

Abstract

Smoking-related illnesses are the leading causes of death among Hispanics/Latinos. Yet, there are few smoking cessation interventions targeted for this population. The goal of this study was to "transcreate" an existing, previously validated, English language self-help smoking cessation intervention, titled Forever Free: Stop Smoking for Good, for Spanish-speaking smokers. Rather than simply translating the materials, our transcreation process involved culturally adapting the intervention to enhance acceptability and receptivity of the information. We utilized a multiphase qualitative approach (focus groups and learner verification interviews) to develop a linguistically and culturally relevant intervention for the diverse sub-ethnic groups of Hispanic/Latino smokers. Focus group findings indicated a need to underscore several additional cultural characteristics and themes such as the need to address familism and unique stressors faced by immigrants and to provide information regarding nicotine replacement therapy. Learner verification findings indicated a need to further emphasize financial and social benefits of quitting smoking and to discuss how family and friends can support the quit attempt. These steps led to the development of a Spanish-language smoking cessation intervention titled, Libre del cigarillo, por mi familia y por mí: Guía para dejar de fumar, that is currently being tested in a national randomized controlled trial.

Misinformation About Health: A Review of Health Communication and Misinformation Scholarship

“…Department of Health and Human Services (2014) cites cigarette smoking as the leading cause of preventable disease, particularly among low-income and underserved populations. Accordingly, scholars and policy makers continue to devote efforts toward smoking reduction campaigns, with misinformation about nicotine replacement therapy coming up as a regular barrier to cessation (Piñeiro et al, 2018).…”

Feasibility and Acceptability of a Culturally- and Linguistically-Adapted Smoking Cessation Text Messaging Intervention for Latino Smokers

“…Overall, Latinos report a lack of knowledge about smoking cessation treatment options and perceive a lack of cultural sensitivity when smoking cessation resources are available in Spanish ( 11 ). Moreover, Latinos hold several misconceptions about smoking dependence and cessation and may tend to avoid pharmacotherapy, viewing smoking as a weakness rather than an addiction ( 12 , 13 ). Moreover, non-adherence to smoking cessation pharmacotherapy has been identified as an important barrier to smoking cessation success among Latino smokers ( 14 , 15 ).…”

Comparing Methods of Recruiting Spanish-Preferring Smokers in the United States: Findings from a Randomized Controlled Trial

“…To address this gap, we developed a series of culturally relevant self-help booklets and pamphlets for Hispanic or Latinx smokers. This new, targeted intervention was developed by transcreating (translating + adapting) an existing English-language, validated self-help smoking cessation and relapse prevention intervention titled, Forever Free ®: Stop Smoking for Good (SSFG) [ 29 - 31 ]. Using a multiphase qualitative approach, we successfully transcreated the SSFG intervention into a version tailored specifically for individuals who prefer health education materials in Spanish [ 31 ].…”

“…This new, targeted intervention was developed by transcreating (translating + adapting) an existing English-language, validated self-help smoking cessation and relapse prevention intervention titled, Forever Free ®: Stop Smoking for Good (SSFG) [ 29 - 31 ]. Using a multiphase qualitative approach, we successfully transcreated the SSFG intervention into a version tailored specifically for individuals who prefer health education materials in Spanish [ 31 ]. The Spanish-language version of SSFG is titled Libre del cigarrillo, por mi familia y por mí: Guía para dejar de fumar ( Free from Cigarettes, for my family and for me: Guide to quit smoking ).…”

“…The Spanish-language version of SSFG is titled Libre del cigarrillo, por mi familia y por mí: Guía para dejar de fumar ( Free from Cigarettes, for my family and for me: Guide to quit smoking ). Details regarding booklet development and content are presented elsewhere [ 31 ].…”