title: The environment modifies the relationship between social networks and secondhand smoke exposure among Korean nonsmokers in Seoul and California.
abstract: This study compared risks of secondhand smoke exposure (SHSe) among Korean nonsmokers in Seoul, South Korea and California, United States. Social networks were hypothesized to contain more smokers in Seoul than in California, and smokers were hypothesized to produce more secondhand smoke in Seoul than California, as Seoul's policies and norms are less restrictive. Telephone interviews were conducted with Korean adults in Seoul (N = 500) and California (N = 2830). In all, 69% (95% confidence interval [CI] = 64-74) of Koreans and 31% (95% CI = 29-33) of Korean Americans reported any SHSe. A total of 44% (95% CI = 40-47) of Korean family members smoked versus 29% (95% CI = 28-30) of Korean American family members (t = 7.84, P < .01). A 25% to 75% increase in the proportion of family members that smoked corresponded with a 13% (95% CI = 5-21) higher probability of any SHSe among Koreans compared with 6% (95% CI = 2-10) among Korean Americans. Network interventions in combination with policies and/or health campaigns may help reduce SHSe globally.
authors.affiliation: University of Southern California Keck School of Medicine, Los Angeles, CA, USA allem@usc.edu.
authors.forename: Jon-Patrick
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Allem
authors.affiliation: Children's Hospital Informatics Program at the Harvard-MIT Division of Health Sciences and Technology, Boston, MA, USA.
authors.forename: John W
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Ayers
authors.affiliation: University of Southern California Keck School of Medicine, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Jennifer B
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Unger
authors.affiliation: Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA.
authors.forename: Robert E
authors.initials: RE
authors.lastname: Vollinger
authors.affiliation: Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA.
authors.forename: Carl
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Latkin
authors.affiliation: Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA.
authors.forename: Hee-Soon
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Juon
authors.affiliation: Myongji University, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Hae-Ryun
authors.initials: HR
authors.lastname: Park
authors.affiliation: Seoul National University, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Hee-Young
authors.initials: HY
authors.lastname: Paik
authors.affiliation: San Diego State University, San Diego, CA, USA.
authors.forename: C Richard
authors.initials: CR
authors.lastname: Hofstetter
authors.affiliation: San Diego State University, San Diego, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Melbourne F
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Hovell
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001213:Asian / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D002140:California / Q000453:epidemiology; D003431:Cross-Cultural Comparison; D004777:Environment; D005190:Family; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D056910:Republic of Korea / Q000208:ethnology; D066106:Seoul; D012944:Social Support; D014028:Tobacco Smoke Pollution / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*
chemical_list: D014028:Tobacco Smoke Pollution