Impact of acculturation, education, and birth origin on smoking among adult male Los Angeles County residents of Mexican ancestry

Published studies have generally found no effect of acculturation on smoking among Latino males. However, males of Mexican ancestry represent over 18% (nearly 2 million people) of the total population of Los Angeles County; hence the potential public health impact of acculturation is substantial. The objective of this research is to investigate the effects of acculturation on cigarette smoking among males of Mexican ancestry and identify demographic characteristics that may moderate the relationship. Analyses are based on data from a population-based random-digit-dial telephone health survey conducted in 2003 among Los Angeles County adult residents. Of the 8167 survey participants, 860 were males of Mexican ancestry (527 Mexican-born and 333 California-born) and constituted the analysis sample. Separate logistic regression models were conducted for Mexican- and California-born males, with and without interaction effects. The outcome variable was current cigarette smoking and the primary independent variable was acculturation, with age, education, and poverty level included as covariates. No significant effects of acculturation were found in the main effects (no interactions) models. However, significant interactions were found between acculturation and education. Among Mexican-born males, smoking prevalence was as follows: low education with low versus high acculturation (18% versus 27%) and high education with low versus high acculturation (33% versus 13%). A similar pattern was found among California-born males. No significant interactions were found between acculturation and age or poverty level. Findings suggest that interventions programs targeting males of Mexican ancestry should consider the acculturation and education levels of the participants.