Disparities in smoking cessation among U.S. adults with a history of asthma.
BACKGROUND
Socioeconomic status (SES) and racial-ethnic disparities in smoking cessation among U.S. adults with a history of asthma have received limited attention.


OBJECTIVE
This study examined sociodemographic characteristics associated with smoking cessation in national samples of adults with a self-reported history of asthma.


METHODS
Data from the National Health Interview Survey (years 2000 and 2001 combined) was used to assess the quit ratio (i.e., former smokers as a proportion of ever-smokers) by sociodemographic characteristics, and predictors of former versus current smoking status were examined with multiple logistic regression.


RESULTS
Quit ratios were 53% in Hispanics, 52% in non-Hispanic Whites, and 42% in African American ever-smokers. The quit ratio reached 70% in college graduates versus 45% in those with less than 12 years of education. In multivariate analyses, education and marital status but not racially classified social groups/ethnicity were independently associated with former versus current smoking.


CONCLUSIONS
Expanded smoking cessation efforts are needed among persons with a history of asthma, especially those of lower SES.
King
Gary
G
Department of Biobehavioral Health, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA. gxk14@psu.edu
Polednak
Anthony P
AP
Gilreath
Tamika
T
Bendel
Robert B
RB
D000328:Adult; D001249:Asthma / Q000453:epidemiology*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012907:Smoking / Q000453:epidemiology*; D016540:Smoking Cessation / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology