The social and economic factors which effect woman's smoking behaviour in gecekondu areas.

The smoking behaviour that has become common together with international tobacco firms went in Turkey, is one of the major cause of the health problems that can be prevented in today?s world. Turkey who is a developing country, is the target of tobacco firms. Specially, Turkey is an important market with its young population and it is a promising country for the future.Compared to the previous years, the fact that women have started more smoking because they have become the real target of the tobacco firms and advertisements. Furthermore, current social changes give possibility to women to smoking.In this study, how the social changes which live together with urbanization effects the smoking behaviour of the women who live in ?gecekondu? is studied. Between ?gecekondu? and urban context, how these women give meaning to the smoking behaviour is observed. Moreover, the life style in ?gecekondu? is different from the urban life style. These differences create an adaptation problem for the women especially for the ones living in ?gecekondu?. The formel relationship among people in urban life, enables the women to feel comfort. In urban life, social pressure and control over people have decreased. Unfortunately, the forms of the rural life are stil partially dominant. In this environment, the smoking behaviour takes new meanings.