Adapting tobacco dependence group therapy treatment for Korean americans: A case report of pilot treatment program

Tobacco dependence is common among Korean American men and yet, there have been few reports or studies on treating this population. They may have difficulty accessing existing smoking cessation treatment programs because of both language and cultural barriers. This case report describes a clinical tobacco dependence treatment program (the Korean Smoking Cessation Class Program) that was developed specifically for Korean Americans. Supportive group therapy was offered with brief individual counseling along with pharmacotherapy. Twenty-six individuals (25 men and 1 woman) attended, and 19 (73%) completed the 8-week program. Of the completers, 13 (68%) reported abstinence at the end of the program. This case report summarizes the clinicians' perceptions of what worked in this pilot program and suggests helpful strategies for tobacco dependence treatment for this population.