A narrative analysis on stories of underage smoking initiation among public school children / The Health Sciences Journal

ABSTRACT

INTRODUCTION@#Smoking is one of the most common preventable risk factors for disease and continues to be a burden on public health, especially in developing countries like the Philippines. This study aims to provide an understanding of underage Filipino smokers that is sensitive to the context within which they are found. @*METHODS@#The narrative approach was used to understand events across time and in a way that gave meaning to the storied experience of the participants. Core story creation and emplotment were used to flesh out the narratives of smoking initiation. The stories of six residents of Barangay Doña Imelda were analyzed to understand the significance of smoking initiation in their context. @*RESULTS@#The overarching narrative found was “putting meaning into time” and from this, three themes emerged 1) time is meaningful when shared, 2) finding solace from the struggles of daily living, and 3) resisting oppressive structures. Using these insights, the discussion was grounded on anti-smoking campaigns such as the DOH Annual No Smoking Month, the Sin Tax Law, and the Nationwide Smoking Ban.@*CONCLUSION@#This paper concludes that a more proactive approach to smoking initiation is warranted by making meaningful alternative activities available to public school children.