title: Racially classified social group differences in cigarette smoking, nicotine dependence, and readiness to quit.
abstract: The purpose was to determine racially classified social group differences in smoking, nicotine dependence, and readiness to quit between African American and Caucasian smokers. The cross-sectional study included 53 African American and 839 Caucasian smokers participating in a larger population-based cessation intervention study. Data were analyzed from the interview conducted before the intervention; half of the participants were in the treatment group, recruited from those who had joined a cessation contest, whereas control group participants were recruited using random-digit dialing and were not in the contest. African Americans began smoking later, smoked fewer cigarettes daily, reported lower nicotine dependence, and had greater readiness to quit smoking than Caucasians. Of those who had ever used an evidence-based method, African American smokers were more likely to only use evidence-based quit methods, whereas Caucasian smokers were more likely to mix evidence-based with "cold turkey." Controlling for demographics and treatment group, racially classified social group was a predictor of readiness to quit smoking. Later, age of initiation, positive partner support, and using evidence-based quit methods also predicted greater readiness to quit.
authors.affiliation: Mary Kay Rayens, PhD, and Ellen J. Hahn, PhD, RN, FAAN, College of Nursing and College of Public Health, University of Kentucky, Lexington. Anita Fernander, PhD, College of Medicine, University of Kentucky, Lexington. Chizimuzo T. C. Okoli, PhD, MPH, College of Nursing, University of Kentucky, Lexington.
authors.forename: Mary Kay
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Rayens
authors.forename: Ellen J
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Hahn
authors.forename: Anita
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Fernander
authors.forename: Chizimuzo T C
authors.initials: CT
authors.lastname: Okoli
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001741:Black or African American / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D017668:Age of Onset; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001294:Attitude to Health / Q000208:ethnology*; D004812:Epidemiologic Methods; D055317:Evidence-Based Practice / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D054625:Healthcare Disparities / Q000208:ethnology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012008:Recurrence; D012907:Smoking / Q000208:ethnology*; D016540:Smoking Cessation / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000379:methods / Q000523:psychology; D014029:Tobacco Use Disorder / Q000208:ethnology*; D044465:White People / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D055815:Young Adult