Sosyal Bilimler ve Sağlık Bülteni

Özgün Makale

No. 18 (2026)

Tobacco Through Women's Eyes: A Photovoice Study

Submitted
May 13, 2026
Published
2026-06-19

Abstract

Through the findings of a qualitative research completed in 2025, the aim of this study is to examine the meanings of tobacco use for women. The study was conducted in Eskişehir with photovoice design, included 15 women participants. Participants were selected through purposive sampling. Inclusion criteria was to have used hand-rolled, electronic cigarettes, or hookahs for at least the last two years. Two focus group interviews were conducted with the participants, in accordance with the photovoice design. In the first interview, they were asked to take photographs that reminded or evoked tobacco; in the second interview, these photographs were interpreted and discussed by the participants. The data were analyzed thematically and these four themes revealed: spatial and temporal control, symbolic rebellion against patriarchal authority and the construction of individual identity, regulation of emotional labor, denormalization, stigmatization, and conformity strategies. The findings indicate that tobacco use is a sociological phenomenon related to gender and daily life for women, a space of belonging negotiated with patriarchal norms and supporting individual identity. In studies related to tobacco, addressing tobacco use only as a substance addiction ignores the meaning attributed to it and the context in which the act takes place. It is recommended that tobacco control policies be planned taking this depth into account.

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