Examining Differences between White and Non-White Smokers in Determinants of Quitting Intentions

Background: The Theory of Planned Behavior suggests that intention to take measures to stop smoking is determined by attitude, perceived norms, and self-efficacy. However, it is possible that the relative importance of each determinant varies based on individual characteristics. We explored whether meaningful differences existed between White and Non-White smokers in the determinants of intention to take measures to stop smoking. Methods: Participants were 374 adult smokers (207 White; 167 Non-White) who were interviewed by telephone. We conducted multiple regression analyses to test the association between attitude, perceived norms, and self-efficacy and intention to take measures to stop smoking, separately for Whites and Non-Whites. We used multivariate analysis of variance to test for differences between White and Non-White smokers in mean levels of the three determinants and intention. Results: For Whites and Non-Whites, attitude, perceived norms, and self-efficacy were significant predictors of intention to take measures to stop smoking. Moreover, there were no significant differences between White and Non-White Smokers in the regression coefficients associated with the three predictors. However, compared to Whites, Non-Whites had a significantly higher mean level of attitude toward taking measures to stop smoking (p<.001) and a significantly higher mean level of intention to take measures to stop smoking (p<.01). Conclusions: The results from this study have implications for planning cessation interventions. Examining the determinants of intention suggests how to design a campaign. Analyzing the mean levels of the determinants, however, informs decisions on allocation of resources to target those most in need.