Tobacco and precariousness: The central issue of access to care

Abstract

The prevalence and severity of smoking are particularly high in populations in precarious situations and make smoking an essential determinant of social inequalities in health, due to its particularly catastrophic impact on the health of these populations. The general reduction in smoking, less significant in disadvantaged populations, contributes to further increasing these inequalities, and smoking tends to be concentrated in the most vulnerable populations. The relationships between tobacco and precariousness are examined by identifying, based on a review of the literature, the main common factors of vulnerability: stress and social adversity, self-stigma, a low feeling of self-efficacy, the social function of tobacco use, the ambivalence of demands, associated addictions, the severity of tobacco dependence, distance from support and care systems, etc. Specific attention is paid to certain particular conditions: mental health disorders, addictions (other than tobacco), inadequate housing, detention, migration. On this basis, courses of action are proposed to improve access to care and its effectiveness for the people concerned. Emphasis is placed on the mobilization of professionals who often tend to neglect issues of smoking in view of the immediate severity of the problems at the origin of the demands of the people received. A support offer for harm reduction (vaping in particular) seems particularly suited to often-ambivalent demands. The importance of networking and the involvement of CSAPAs/CAARUDs is also underlined. At the systemic level, all of this must be accompanied by political advocacy to reduce these inequalities and social determinants of health.