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APHA Scientific Session and Event Listing

Grace X. Ma, PhD¹, Carolyn Fang, PhD², Jung Choi, PhD¹, Jamil I. Toubbeh, PhD¹, and Ziding Feng, PhD³. (1) Department of Public Health; Center for Asian Health, Temple University, 304A Vivacqua Hall, P.O. Box 2843, Philadelphia, PA 19122, 215-787-5434, grace.ma@temple.edu, (2) Division of Population Science, Fox Chase Cancer Center, 510 Township Line Road, 3rd Floor, Cheltenham, PA 19012, (3) Biostatistics Program, Cancer Prevention Research Program, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, P.O. Box 19024, Seattle, WA 98109

Problem/Objective: Smoking rates are disproportionately high among Korean Americans. Yet, this population has received little attention in smoking cessation research. The identification of psychosocial variables that could influence quitting behaviors is an essential step in the development of smoking cessation interventions targeting this population. The present study characterized decisional balance (i.e. pros and cons of quitting) among Korean American smokers and examined potential associations between these psychosocial variables and key demographic factors. Methods: One hundred adult Korean American smokers were recruited to complete a brief psychosocial questionnaire. Data on demographic background, smoking history, and the pros and cons of quitting smoking (i.e. decisional balance) were gathered and analyzed. Results: Results indicated that demographic factors, such as age and education level, were associated with attitudes toward quitting. Specifically, younger respondents reported fewer pros of quitting compared to older respondents. In addition, education level was associated with nicotine dependence, such that college-educated respondents reported lower levels of nicotine dependence compared to individuals with less than a college degree. Conclusion: The present study increases our understanding of the associations between key smoking and quitting-related psychosocial factors and demographic variables among Korean American smokers. These findings suggest that in this population, older smokers may be more amenable to receiving smoking cessation messages and interventions. In contrast, younger and less-educated smokers may require a more intensive smoking cessation program.

Learning Objectives:

• Session observers will become aware of the associations between certain psychosocial and demographic variables in a population of Korean American smokers and will have increased understanding of the specific cessation challenges faced by this population.

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Not Answered