Ethnic difference in cigarette smoking dynamics among youth

Institution:	University of Southern California
Investigator(s):	Xinguang Chen, Ph.D.
Award Cycle:	1999 (Cycle 8)	Grant #: 8RT-0034	Award: $366,852
Subject Area:	Epidemiology
Award Type:	Research Project Awards

Abstracts

Initial Award Abstract

Cigarette smoking kills hundreds of thousands of people each year, yet adolescents continue to start smoking in our society. Research on acculturation and cigarette smoking among Asian Americans indicate that emphasis should be placed on ethnic and culture differences in smoking behavior dynamics, and selection of proper measures and methods for utilizing survey data for developing effective tobacco control plans and programs. However, in previous surveys of cigarette smoking trends, ethnic differences were often not emphasized and many key factors were frequently ignored. In attempting to measure smoking behaviors, the common tendency has been to select conventionally used indicators. When making plans and strategic decisions targeting different ethnic groups for tobacco control, evidence has been often obtained from the population in general. To provide the knowledge necessary for effective tobacco control, this study will examine the following issues with data already collected by the California Department of Health Services, the University of California at San Diego, and other groups on youth smoking issues from 1990 through 2000:

. Describing ethnic differences in prevalence levels and secular trends of various smoking behaviors among youth by age, gender, and ethnicity from 1990 to 2000 in California; . Examining factors that account for ethnic differences in smoking behaviors, including acculturation levels, media exposure, peer pressure, social network smoking, attitudes toward smoking, and perceived consequences of smoking; . Testing age-period-cohort (APC) mathematical models for use in analyzing changes in smoking behavior dynamics over time among youth populations using multi-year cross sectional data; and . Developing new methods for tobacco control program evaluation at the macro level using APC models.

Findings from this study will provide information necessary for more effective tobacco control programming and decision-making, which will benefit people from different ethnic backgrounds in California. Research papers and reports from this research will be distributed among the general public and the tobacco research field to enrich the knowledge base on tobacco-related disease control and other related public health issues.

Publications

Secular trends of adolescent never-smokers from 1990 to 1999 in California: An age-period-cohort analysis.
Periodical: American Journal of Public Health			Index Medicus:
Authors: Li GH, Unger JB, Liu X, and Johnson CA				ART
Yr: 0	Vol:	Nbr:	Abs:	Pg:

Secular trends of adolescent never-smokers from 1990 to 1999 in California: An age-period-cohort analysis.
Periodical: American Journal of Public Health			Index Medicus:
Authors: Li GH, Unger JB, Liu X, and Johnson CA				ART
Yr: 0	Vol:	Nbr:	Abs:	Pg: