194090 Smoking and the Asian American workforce in the National Latino and Asian American Study

Sunday, November 8, 2009

Butch de Castro, PhD, MSN/MPH, RN , School of Nursing, University of Washington, Seattle, WA
Gabriel James Garcia, PhD, MA, MPH , Department of Health Sciences, University of Alaska Anchorage, Anchorage, AK
Gilbert C. Gee, PhD , School of Public Health, Community Health Sciences, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA
Jenny Hsin-Chun Tsai, PhD, ARNP, PMHCNS-BC , School of Nursing, University of Washington, Seattle, WA
Tessa Rue, MS , School of Public Health and Community Medicine, University of Washington, Srattle, WA
David T. Takeuchi, PhD , School of Social Work, University of Washington, Seattle, WA
BACKGROUND: Smoking among the Asian American workforce has not been extensively researched. This study examines smoking prevalence among a nationally-representative sample of Asian Americans with an emphasis on occupational classification. METHODS: Cross-sectional data come from the National Latino and Asian American Study. Multivariate logistic regression analyses were used to determine smoking prevalence by occupation, gender, and nativity, among 1,528 participants self-identifying as in the labor force. RESULTS: Blue collar workers reported the highest smoking prevalence (32%) followed by unemployed (19%), other (17%), service (14%), and white collar (10%). Among both employed males and females, blue collar workers had the highest prevalence (45% and 18%, respectively). By nativity, smoking was highest among blue collar workers for immigrants (25%) and highest among the unemployed for U.S. born (16%). Blue collar employment was significantly associated with being a current smoker (OR=2.52; 95% CI: 1.23 - 5.16; p < .05) controlling for demographics (e.g., age, gender, ethnic group, nativity, etc.). CONCLUSIONS: Findings reveal that smoking differs by occupation among Asian Americans. Future research should examine factors explaining differences while considering gender and nativity. Additionally, smoking cessation interventions targeting Asian American blue collar workers should be instituted in workplace settings.

Learning Objectives:
1. Describe smoking prevalence among the Asian American workforce across various occupational classifications. 2. Compare smoking rates by nativity and gender among Asian American workers. 3. Identify the need for culturally specific and linguistically appropriate workplace smoking cessation programs for Asian American blue collar workers.

Keywords: Asian Americans, Smoking

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I am the principal investigator of the submitted study. My PhD degree is in Occupational and Environmental Health and I currently serve as the Director of the Occupational and Environmental Health Nursing Program at the University of Washington. My program of research focuses on occupational health issues among immigrant and minority workers.
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.

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