Acculturation and tobacco use among Chinese Americans.
OBJECTIVE
We examined the relationship between acculturation and tobacco use behaviors among Chinese Americans.


METHODS
Using a Chinese-language instrument based on validated questions from several national surveys, we conducted in-person, household-based interviews with 712 representative adults aged 18-74 years.


RESULTS
Observed smoking prevalence was 29% for men and 4% for women. Predictors of smoking cessation included being 35 years and older and having a high level of tobacco-related knowledge. Acculturation was positively associated with a history of never smoking, as was being younger than 35 years and having a high level of tobacco-related knowledge.


CONCLUSIONS
Acculturation was positively associated with never smoking among men but not with smoking cessation. However, knowledge of tobacco-related health risks was associated with both. Results indicate a need for language-specific educational interventions.
Shelley
Donna
D
Center for Applied Public Health, Division of Sociomedical Sciences, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York City, NY 10032, USA. drs26@columbia.edu
Fahs
Marianne
M
Scheinmann
Roberta
R
Swain
Susan
S
Qu
Jiaojie
J
Burton
Dee
D
D000069:Acculturation; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001213:Asian / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D002681:China / Q000208:ethnology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004641:Emigration and Immigration; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009519:New York City / Q000453:epidemiology; D012737:Sex Factors; D012907:Smoking / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000208:ethnology*; D016540:Smoking Cessation / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D014504:Urban Health