Does neighborhood social cohesion modify the relationship between neighborhood social norms and smoking behaviors in Mexico?
The aim of this study was to examine the separate and combined relationships of neighborhood social norms and neighborhood social cohesion with smoking behavior in a cohort of adult Mexican smokers. Neighborhood anti-smoking norms were measured as the proportion of residents in each neighborhood who believed that society disapproves of smoking. Perceived social cohesion was measured using a 5-item cohesion scale and aggregated to the neighborhood level. Higher neighborhood anti-smoking norms were associated with less successful quitting. Neighborhood social cohesion modified the relationship between neighborhood social norms and two smoking behaviors: smoking intensity and quit attempts. Residents of neighborhoods with weaker anti-smoking norms and higher social cohesion had lower smoking intensity and more quit attempts than residents living in other areas. Social cohesion may help buffer smoking behavior in areas with weak social norms.
Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Arnold School of Public Health, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC, USA. Electronic address: lozanop@sc.edu.
Paula
P
Lozano
Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Arnold School of Public Health, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC, USA; Center for Social Epidemiology and Population Health, Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA.
Nancy L
NL
Fleischer
Department of Health Promotion, Education and Behavior, Arnold School of Public Health, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC, USA.
Spencer
S
Moore
Departamento de Investigación sobre Tabaco, Instituto Nacional de Salud Pública, Cuernavaca, Mexico.
Luz Myriam Reynales
LM
Shigematsu
Departamento de Investigación sobre Tabaco, Instituto Nacional de Salud Pública, Cuernavaca, Mexico.
Edna Arillo
EA
Santillán
Department of Health Promotion, Education and Behavior, Arnold School of Public Health, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC, USA; Departamento de Investigación sobre Tabaco, Instituto Nacional de Salud Pública, Cuernavaca, Mexico.
James F
JF
Thrasher
D000328:Adult; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008800:Mexico; D008875:Middle Aged; D012111:Residence Characteristics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012907:Smoking / Q000523:psychology*; D016540:Smoking Cessation / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012931:Social Environment; D066262:Social Norms
Latin America; Multi-level analysis; Neighborhood social cohesion; Neighborhood social norms; Smoking cessation; Smoking intensity