title: Race/ethnicity and multiple cancer risk factors among individuals seeking smoking cessation treatment.
abstract: Smoking in combination with other behavioral risk factors is known to have a negative influence on health, and individuals who smoke typically engage in multiple risk behaviors. However, little is known about the clustering of risk behaviors among smokers of varying race/ethnicity. The purpose of this study was to examine patterns of cancer risk behaviors and to identify predictors of multiple risk behaviors in a racially/ethnically diverse sample of individuals seeking smoking cessation treatment. Overweight/obesity, at-risk alcohol consumption, and insufficient physical activity were measured in 424 smokers (African American, n = 144; Latino, n = 141; and Caucasian, n = 139). Results indicated that 90% of participants reported behavioral cancer risk factors in addition to smoking. Approximately 70% of participants were overweight or obese, 48% engaged in at-risk drinking, and 27% were insufficiently physically active. Univariate analyses indicated that race/ethnicity (P < 0.001), smoking level (P = 0.03), and marital status (P = 0.04) were significant predictors of multiple risk behaviors, although only race/ethnicity remained a significant predictor (P < 0.001), when gender, smoking level, age, education, household income, marital status, and health insurance status were included in a multivariate model. Multivariate analysis indicated that the odds of engaging in multiple risk behaviors were significantly higher among Latinos (odds ratio = 2.85) and African Americans (odds ratio = 1.86) than Caucasians. Our findings highlight the need for research aimed at identifying determinants of racial/ethnic differences in multiple risk behaviors and indicate the importance of developing culturally sensitive interventions that target multiple risk behaviors.
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Disparities Research, The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center, Unit 1140, P.O. Box 301402, Houston, TX 77230-1402, USA. dkendzor@mdanderson.org
authors.forename: Darla E
authors.initials: DE
authors.lastname: Kendzor
authors.forename: Tracy J
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Costello
authors.forename: Yisheng
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Jennifer Irvin
authors.initials: JI
authors.lastname: Vidrine
authors.forename: Carlos A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Mazas
authors.forename: Lorraine R
authors.initials: LR
authors.lastname: Reitzel
authors.forename: Paul M
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Cinciripini
authors.forename: Ludmila M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Cofta-Woerpel
authors.forename: Michael S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Businelle
authors.forename: David W
authors.initials: DW
authors.lastname: Wetter
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001741:Black or African American / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000208:ethnology; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D005260:Female; D006630:Hispanic or Latino / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D017533:Marital Status; D008875:Middle Aged; D009043:Motor Activity; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000208:ethnology*; D009765:Obesity / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000208:ethnology; D012307:Risk Factors; D012309:Risk-Taking; D012907:Smoking / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000208:ethnology*; D016540:Smoking Cessation / Q000208:ethnology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology; D044465:White People / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*