Beliefs about tobacco use in African Americans.
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this study was to describe beliefs about the influence of genetic and environmental factors on tobacco use among African Americans and to identify factors that are independently associated with these beliefs.


METHODS
Participants were 94 adult African American men and women who were enrolled in a study on race, genetics, and smoking.


METHODS
Beliefs about factors involved in smoking initiation and cessation were evaluated by self-report during a structured telephone survey.


RESULTS
Smoking status was not associated significantly with beliefs about the influence of genetic or environmental factors; however, gender and education level were associated significantly with beliefs about the influence of environmental factors. Men (beta = -1.71, P = .01) reported significantly greater beliefs about the influence of environmental factors on tobacco use compared to women. Higher education was also associated with greater beliefs about the influence of environmental factors (beta = 1.81, P = .01). Only income level was associated significantly with beliefs about the influence of genetic factors. Respondents with incomes < or = dollar 20,000 reported significantly greater beliefs about the influence of genetic factors compared to those with higher incomes (beta = -.92, P = .02).


CONCLUSIONS
These results suggest that African Americans believe that biological factors such as genes play a limited role in tobacco use behaviors. Sociodemographic factors, rather than tobacco use, are important to beliefs about tobacco use among African Americans.
Halbert
Chanita Hughes
CH
Department of Psychiatry, Abramson Cancer Center, Leonard Davis Institute of Health Economics (CHH), University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104, USA. chanita@mail.med.upenn.edu
Gandy
Oscar H
OH
Collier
Aliya
A
Shaker
Lee
L
D000328:Adult; D001741:Black or African American; D003469:Culture; D004777:Environment; D005163:Factor Analysis, Statistical; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012907:Smoking; D016540:Smoking Cessation; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors