261740 Racial differences in the association between psychological distress and smoking

Tuesday, October 30, 2012

Hai-Yen Sung, PhD , Institute for Health & Aging, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA
Judith J. Prochaska, PhD, MPH , Stanford Prevention Research Center, Stanford University, Stanford, CA
Yanling Shi, MS , Institute for Health & Aging, School of Nursing, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA
Michael Ong, MD, PhD , Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA
Wendy Max, PhD , Institute for Health & Aging, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA
Introduction: Mental illness has been shown to be associated with increased smoking among Whites. Whether such association exists in minorities is not well-investigated. This study compares the associations between serious psychological distress (SPD) and smoking for three minority groups (Hispanics, Asians, and Blacks) and Whites in California. Methods: We used data from the 2007 and 2009 California Health Interview Surveys (N=17,348 Hispanics, 9,158 Asians, 4,225 Blacks, and 64,072 Whites) to analyze current smoking prevalence and quit rate. We defined SPD according to participant's self-reported experience of psychological distress in the past 12 months using the K6 scale. Logistic regression models were analyzed for each racial-gender group.

Results: SPD prevalence and smoking rate varied by race and gender. After adjusting for covariates, SPD was significantly associated with increased smoking prevalence among Hispanic men (OR=1.6, 95%CI: 1.2-2.3) and women (OR=1.9, 95%CI: 1.4-2.6), Asian men (OR=3.1, 95%CI: 1.2-8.4) and women (OR=2.2, 95%CI: 1.1-4.4), and White men (OR=2.7, 95%CI: 2.1-3.5) and women (OR=3.1, 95%CI: 2.5-3.8). SPD was significantly associated with lower quit rate among Hispanic men (OR=0.6, 95%CI: 0.4-0.9) and women (OR=0.5, 95%CI: 0.4-0.8), Black women (OR=0.4, 95%CI: 0.2-0.9), and White men (OR=0.4, 95%CI: 0.3-0.5) and women (OR=0.4, 95%CI: 0.3-0.5).

Conclusions: Similar to White counterparts, mental illness is significantly associated with higher smoking prevalence in Hispanics and Asians of both genders, and with lower quit rate in Hispanics of both genders and Black women. Tailored interventions are needed to address smoking prevalence and cessation among individuals with SPD from different racial-gender groups.

Learning Areas:
Diversity and culture
Public health or related public policy
Public health or related research
Social and behavioral sciences

Learning Objectives:
1. Assess if persons with serious psychological distress are more likely to smoke and less likely to quit smoking compared to those without serious psychological distress for 3 racial minority groups in California: Hispanics, Asians, and Blacks. 2. Compare the magnitudes of association between serious psychological distress and smoking behavior among minority groups to those among Whites.

Keywords: Tobacco, Mental Disorders

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: As the principle investigator of this study, I am qualified to present on our findings.
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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