title: Smoking-related attitudes and their sociodemographic correlates among Mexican-origin adult smokers.
abstract: The purpose of the study was to describe smoking-related knowledge and attitudes of a specific group of Latino smokers, and to identify sociodemographic correlates. This study is one of the few to provide information about smoking-related psychosocial variables and their correlates among a Latino subgroup. A survey was administered to a volunteer sample of adult smokers of Mexican-origin (n = 278) to assess their sociodemographic characteristics, and smoking-related knowledge and attitudes. Measures of smoking-related attitudes targeted six constructs: self-efficacy for quitting smoking, anticipated outcomes, intentions to quit, normative expectations, social support, and barriers to quitting. Smoking/cessation knowledge was assessed with a 14 item test. This sample of smokers had high knowledge and positive attitudes about quitting smoking. Several sociodemographic variables were associated with attitudinal knowledge variables, although no consistent pattern of association was seen. Results underscore the complexity between smoking-related attitudes and sociodemographic factors, and are discussed in terms of implications for culturally-tailored interventions.
authors.affiliation: San Diego State University, Graduate School of Public Health, Center for Behavioral and Community Health Studies, CA 92123, USA.
authors.forename: Veronica A
authors.initials: VA
authors.lastname: Serrano
authors.forename: Susan I
authors.initials: SI
authors.lastname: Woodruff
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002140:California; D005191:Family Characteristics / Q000208:ethnology; D005260:Female; D015438:Health Behavior / Q000208:ethnology*; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D017533:Marital Status; D017058:Mexican Americans / Q000523:psychology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D020377:Self Efficacy; D012907:Smoking / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000523:psychology; D016540:Smoking Cessation / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000523:psychology; D012944:Social Support; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors