Serious quit attempts and cessation implications for Asian American male smokers

• Published in: Addictive behaviors Vol. 100; p. 106129
• Main Authors: Guan, Alice, Kim-Mozeleski, Jin E., Tan, Judy Y., McPhee, Stephen J., Burke, Nancy J., Sun, Angela, Cheng, Joyce W., Tsoh, Janice Y.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Elsevier Ltd 01-01-2020
• Subjects: Adult; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Asian; Asian American; California - epidemiology; Health Behavior - ethnology; Health disparities; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Physician-Patient Relations; Smokers - statistics & numerical data; Smoking cessation; Smoking Cessation - methods; Smoking Cessation - statistics & numerical data; Tobacco use; California; Tobacco use; Smoking cessation; Asian American; Health disparities
• ISSN: 0306-4603; 1873-6327
• DOI: 10.1016/j.addbeh.2019.106129

Smoking prevalence remains high among Asian American immigrant men, particularly those with limited English proficiency. Understanding ways to promote serious quit attempts (defined as a quit attempt lasting at least 24 h) could be crucial for reducing tobacco-related health disparities in this population. This study examines correlates of serious past year quit attempts among Chinese and Vietnamese American male daily smokers.
Baseline survey data were collected between 2015 and 2017 from a lifestyle intervention trial (N = 340 Chinese and Vietnamese male daily smokers). Data analysis was conducted in 2019. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was used to identify factors associated with serious past year quit attempts.
Less than half (43.2%) of the study participants had at least one serious past year quit attempt. Significant correlates of serious quit attempts included utilizing evidence-based methods (OR = 12.83, 95% CI 5.17–31.84) or other methods (OR = 3.92, 95% CI 3.92–13.73) to facilitate quitting compared to those who did not attempt to quit. Also, participants who had a physician encounter in the past year were more likely to have had a serious quit attempt (OR = 2.25, 95% CI 1.12–4.53). Discussing smoking during a past year doctor's visit, however, was not a significant correlate of serious quit attempts.
Our findings underscore the importance of promoting the use of smoking cessation resources, and potentially utilizing healthcare encounters to facilitate cessation. Investigations are warranted to understand better how patient-physician interactions can enhance smoking cessation.
•Asian American male smokers have low rates of serious quit attempts.•Physician encounters can promote smoking cessation for Asian American smokers.•Both evidence-based and other methods can promote serious quit attempts.