Factors associating with the desires to use smoking cessation medications among Chinese Americans

BACKGROUND: Using nicotine replacement medications (NRT) doubles the odds of quitting smoking. Population studies found low use of medications particularly among smokers of ethnic minority including Chinese Americans.

OBJECTIVE: The study examined factors associating with the desire to use NRT among Chinese Americans.

METHOD: Screening data were obtained from 431 Chinese American daily smokers enrolled in a smoking cessation trial providing free NRT. Sample characteristics were: 15% female, mean age = 46 (SD=12.1), 95% preferred reading Chinese, cigarettes smoked daily = 14 (SD=8.9), 56% had a 24-hour quit attempt past year, 91% intended to quit in 6 months (57% in 30 days), and 55% were very or extremely motivated to reduce smoking in 30 days.

RESULTS: About half (58%) indicated desire to use any smoking cessation medication. Multiple logistic regression showed that desire to use was associated with preference to read English (OR=3.1, 95%CI:1.2=7.8), intent to quit in 6 months (OR=2.6, 95%CI=1.2-5.6), being motivated to reduce smoking in 30 days (OR=2.3, 95%CI: 1.3-3.5), and being female (OR=1.8, 95%CI:1.0-3.4). Age, income, smoking rate, health problems, taking other medications regularly, recent quit attempts, and intent to quit in 30 days were not significant predictors.

CONCLUSION: The desire to use smoking cessation medications was low even among the Chinese Americans smokers who were motivated and could clearly benefit from using NRT (66% smoked >10 daily). Making language appropriate product information about smoking cessation medications readily accessible to Chinese Americans might facilitate the desire to use these medications and increase successes of quit attempts.