Smoking Behaviors Among Immigrant Asian Americans: Rules for Smoke-Free Homes
Background
Higher acculturation is associated with Asian-American smoking prevalence decreasing in men and increasing in women. Asian immigrants in California are significantly more likely than their counterparts in Asia to have quit smoking. Smoke-free environments may mediate this acculturation effect because such environments are not widespread in Asia.
Methods
In 2006, Asian-American current and former smokers were analyzed using the 2003 California Health Interview Survey. A multivariate logistic regression analysis examined how the interaction between having a smoke-free-home rule and immigrating to the U.S. is associated with status as a former smoker and lighter smoking.
Results
For recent Asian immigrants (<10 years in the U.S.) and longer-term residents (born/≥10 years in the U.S.), having a smoke-free-home rule was associated with status as a former smoker (OR 14.19, 95% CI=4.46, 45.12; OR 3.25, 95% CI=1.79, 5.90, respectively). This association was stronger for recent immigrants (p=0.02). Having a smoke-free-home rule was associated with lighter smoking only for longer-term residents (OR 5.37, 95% CI=2.79, 10.31).
Conclusions
For Asian Americans, smoke-free-home rules are associated with status as a former smoker, particularly among recent immigrants, and lighter smoking in long-term residents. Interventions encouraging Asian Americans to adopt smoke-free-home rules should be evaluated.
aDivision of General Internal Medicine, University of California Davis, Davis, California
bDivision of General Internal Medicine, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California
cDivision of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California
dMedical Effectiveness Research Center for Diverse Populations, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California
Address correspondence and reprint requests to: Eliseo J. Pérez-Stable, MD, University of California Davis, Sacramento, Box 0320, 400 Parnassus Avenue, ACC 405, Sacramento CA 94143-0329.
ABSTRACT