Patterns of cigarette smoking among Hispanics in the United States: results from HHANES 1982-84.
In the 1982-84 Hispanic Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, the prevalence of cigarette smoking was examined among Mexican Americans, Puerto Ricans, and Cuban Americans in the United States. Among 20-74 years olds, the age-adjusted smoking rates for Mexican American, Puerto Rican, and Cuban American men were high--42.5, 39.8, and 41.6 percent, respectively. Quite striking among Cuban American men was the high smoking rate among 20-34 year olds (50.1 percent), the highest smoking rate in the three Hispanic groups compared. The age-adjusted smoking rates for Mexican American, Puerto Rican, and Cuban American women were much lower than those for men-23.8, 30.3, and 24.4 percent, respectively. Both Puerto Rican and Cuban American men were more likely to be heavy smokers (52.3 and 64.1 percent, respectively, smoking a pack or more a day) as compared to the Mexican Americans (33.8 percent smoking a pack or more a day). The pattern was the same for women, with Mexican American women being lighter smokers (18.8 percent smoking a pack or more a day) as compared to heavy smoking among Puerto Rican and Cuban American women (35.1 and 48.6 percent, respectively, smoking a pack or more a day). Given the health hazards of smoking, future research and intervention are required for those groups with high exposure to cigarette smoking.
Haynes
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Health Promotion Sciences Branch, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, Maryland, USA.
Harvey
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Montes
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Nickens
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Cohen
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BH
D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D003462:Cuba / Q000208:ethnology; D005260:Female; D006306:Health Surveys; D006630:Hispanic or Latino / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D017058:Mexican Americans / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D011647:Puerto Rico / Q000208:ethnology; D017678:Sex Distribution; D012737:Sex Factors; D012907:Smoking / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000208:ethnology*; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology