Smoking & depression in Chinese vs. non-Chinese

Institution:	University of California, San Francisco
Investigator(s):	Janice Tsoh, Ph.D.
Award Cycle:	1999 (Cycle 8)	Grant #: 8KT-0012	Award: $225,000
Subject Area:	Tobacco-Use Prevention and Cessation
Award Type:	New Investigator Awards

Abstracts

Initial Award Abstract

Research has shown separately that depression level and readiness to quit smoking are significant factors affecting smoking cessation treatment outcome. However, little is known about the relationship between depression and readiness to quit smoking. In addition, research data are scared on the important information relevant for smoking cessation among Asian-American smokers despite it is the fastest growing minority group in the U.S. In this study, we choose to specifically recruit Chinese, the largest ethnic group of the Asian and Pacific Islander community, as an initial step to increase our understanding in smoking behaviors in relation to depression.

The long-term goal of this program of research is to design efficacious smoking cessation programs that can successfully reach out Chinese-American smokers in the community. The current proposal represents the first phase of the research program. It is designed to establish descriptive information on readiness to quit smoking, smoking behaviors, and depression among Chinese smokers. In addition, we propose to conduct a direct comparison between Chinese and non-Chinese smokers in the relationship between smoking and depression. This will provide guidelines to effectively adapt smoking cessation treatment approaches that have been tested in the general population (e.g., Zyban, mood management, stage-matched expert system), to the Chinese smokers in our community. This study will recruit 400 current smokers from the Chinese and non-Chinese populations in the San Francisco Bay Area using a longitudinal survey design to examine the association among depression, readiness of change and smoking behaviors. All study participants will receive a self-help manual for smoking cessation in Chinese or English depending on their language preference. Smoking behaviors, readiness to quit smoking, mood measures and depression symptoms will be assessed at baseline. Participants will be reassessed at 6 months on smoking status, quit attempts, stages of change, and methods used to quit smoking.

The primary goal of this study is to investigate the relationship between smoking and depression among Chinese and non-Chinese smokers. Based on the findings of this study, we will aim at answering the following questions:

1) How prevalent lifetime and current depression is among Chinese smokers? 2) Whether or not smokers who are at not ready to quit smoking will experience more depressive symptoms? 3) whether smokers who experience depressive symptoms will be less likely to attempt to quit smoking.

In addition, we will explore whether differences in ethnicity, gender and/or acculturation are associated with smoking behaviors, depression profiles, awareness and acceptance of smoking cessation methods.

Publications

Smoking and depression in Chinese Americans
Periodical: American Journal of the Medical Sciences			Index Medicus:
Authors: Tsoh JY, Lam JN, Delucchi KL, Hall SM				ART
Yr: 0	Vol:	Nbr:	Abs:	Pg:

Ethnic differences in nicotine dependence and major depression.
Periodical: Nicotine and Tobacco Research			Index Medicus:
Authors: Tsoh JY, Lam JN, Su M, et al.				ABS
Yr: 2002	Vol: 4	Nbr:	Abs:	Pg: 240-241

Processes of change in Chinese and non-Chinese American smokers.
Periodical: Annals of Behavioral Medicine			Index Medicus:
Authors: Prochaska JJ, Tsoh JY, Hall SM, Rossi JS				ABS
Yr: 2003	Vol: 25	Nbr: suppl	Abs:	Pg: 147

Smoking and depression in Chinese Americans
Periodical: American Journal of the Medical Sciences			Index Medicus:
Authors: Tsoh JY, Lam JN, Delucchi KL, Hall SM				ART
Yr: 0	Vol:	Nbr:	Abs:	Pg:

Ethnic differences in nicotine dependence and major depression.
Periodical: Nicotine and Tobacco Research			Index Medicus:
Authors: Tsoh JY, Lam JN, Su M, et al.				ABS
Yr: 2002	Vol: 4	Nbr:	Abs:	Pg: 240-241

Processes of change in Chinese and non-Chinese American smokers.
Periodical: Annals of Behavioral Medicine			Index Medicus:
Authors: Prochaska JJ, Tsoh JY, Hall SM, Rossi JS				ABS
Yr: 2003	Vol: 25	Nbr: suppl	Abs:	Pg: 147