title: Smoking among Chinese Americans: behavior, knowledge, and beliefs.
abstract: Objectives. This report describes and examines factors significantly associated with smoking among Chinese Americans, using multiple logistic regression methods. Methods. We conducted a population-based survey (n = 644, age = 40-69 years) in Chicago's Chinatown using a Chinese questionnaire based on the National Health Interview Survey (NHIS). Results. Smoking prevalence was 34% for males and 2% for females. Some 93% of current smokers had smoked regularly for 10 or more years. Low education (odds ratio [OR] = 2.41; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.31, 4.46), use of a non-Western physician or clinic for health care (OR = 2.64; 95% CI = 1.46, 4.80), and no knowledge of early cancer warning signs and symptoms (OR = 2.52; 95% CI = 1.35, 4.70) were significantly associated with smoking among men. Conclusions. The male prevalence of smoking is higher than those reported in California, the NHIS, and the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS); exceeds the rate for African Americans aged 18 years and older; is comparable with the rate for African American males aged 45 to 64 years; and is far above the Healthy People 2010 target goal of less than 12%. Multisite surveys and smoking cessation campaigns in Chinese are needed.
authors.affiliation: Division of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Graduate School of Public Health, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA 92182, USA. eyu@mail.sdsu.edu
authors.forename: Elena S H
authors.initials: ES
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.forename: Edwin H
authors.initials: EH
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Katherine K
authors.initials: KK
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Sawsan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Abdulrahim
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001213:Asian / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D002641:Chicago / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D015438:Health Behavior / Q000208:ethnology*; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006293:Health Promotion; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D012907:Smoking / Q000208:ethnology*; D016540:Smoking Cessation / Q000208:ethnology; D000074606:Smoking Prevention; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors