ABSTRACT OBJECTIVE: To collect and analyze narratives of adult tobacco dependents who began to smoke during childhood on the factors they consider related to the beginning of such habit. METHODS: Qualtitative research using semidirected interviews with eleven outpatients of a specialized tobacco dependence treatment center who had mentioned have began to smoke tobacco before twelve years old; sample definition by theoretical saturation, transcription of audio and content analysis of the interviews with triangulation of analysts. RESULTS: Four analytical categories had been formulated grouping the factors that were mentioned by the participants or were inferred by the authors: sociocultural and familiar normality of tobacco smoking; identification and learning with smoking parental figures; adverse conditions of life, including infantile work a few playful activities; scarcity of information, including cultural tobacco use for diverse purposes. CONCLUSIONS: Results allow a best understanding on the points of view and feelings of the patients with similar personal histories on the researched questions, maybe collaborating for the effectiveness of the motivational and therapeutical approaches and for therapeutical alliance while minimizing physician-patient interaction difficulties. Ethnografic studies on tobacco use in the childhood are indicated for the current Brazilian rural population, aiming at improvement of preventive approaches.
Smoking; tobacco use cessation; rural health; qualitative research
