From adolescence to young adulthood: racial/ethnic disparities in smoking.
OBJECTIVE
We used data gathered from 6259 youths between the ages of 13 and 23 years to compare trends in smoking among 4 racial/ethnic groups.


METHODS
We weighted trend data to represent baseline respondent characteristics and evaluated these data with linear contrasts derived from multiple regression analyses.


RESULTS
Although African Americans exhibited higher initiation rates than Whites, they exhibited consistently lower rates of regular smoking than both Whites and Hispanics. This seeming anomaly was explained by African Americans' lower rates of transition to regular smoking and greater tendency to quit. Racial/ethnic disparities were accounted for by differences in pro-smoking influences.


CONCLUSIONS
Reducing racial/ethnic disparities in smoking may require reducing differences in the psychosocial factors that encourage smoking.
Ellickson
Phyllis L
PL
RAND, Santa Monica, CA 90407-2138, USA. phyliss_ellickson@rand.org
Orlando
Maria
M
Tucker
Joan S
JS
Klein
David J
DJ
D000293:Adolescent; D000294:Adolescent Behavior / Q000208:ethnology*; D000328:Adult; D001741:Black or African American / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D001213:Asian / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D002140:California / Q000453:epidemiology; D015438:Health Behavior / Q000208:ethnology*; D006630:Hispanic or Latino / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D009922:Oregon / Q000453:epidemiology; D012309:Risk-Taking; D012574:Schools; D012907:Smoking / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000208:ethnology*; D044465:White People / Q000706:statistics & numerical data