Research

Racial and ethnic differences in delivery of tobacco-cessation services
A study of primary care physicians evaluated racial disparities in screening for tobacco use and cessation counseling among known current smokers. Cross-sectional data were analyzed from the National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey on 29,470 office visits to 2,153 physicians. The findings showed that Hispanic patients are less likely than non-Hispanic white patients to receive cessation counseling. The disparity was not explained by lack of insurance or more new-patient office visits, which are traditional healthcare barriers for the Hispanic population. Click here to read the abstract of the article, which appears in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine.

Does tobacco industry marketing excessively impact lesbian, gay and bisexual communities?
Studies of tobacco industry documents have found that tobacco marketing has specifically targeted lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) populations in the past. A recent study compared LGB and heterosexual adults’ exposure to tobacco marketing and receptivity to marketing messages, since both of these factors have been linked to tobacco use in adolescents. Data were analyzed from the Washington State Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS), a statewide population-based telephone survey. As expected, smoking was more common among the LGB individuals than heterosexuals. Bisexual men reported more exposures to tobacco marketing than heterosexual men, but there were no differences in receptivity to marketing messages. Compared to heterosexual women, both lesbians and bisexual women were more likely to be receptive and to be exposed to marketing. Click here to read the abstract of the article, which was published in the journal Tobacco Control.

Sexual identity and tobacco use in a venue-based sample of adolescents and young adults
Although it is known that tobacco use is more common among lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) adults, little is known about tobacco use among LGBT youth. A community-based study assessed various aspects of tobacco use among 500 LGBT and non-LGBT individuals aged 13-24, including types of tobacco used, initiation, frequency and quantity of use, dependence, and cessation. Overall, 63% of respondents had used tobacco during the past month, and an additional 22% had used tobacco products in the past. Compared to the non-LGBT youths, LGBT respondents were over twice as likely to have tried smoking, but there was no difference in the prevalence of smoking in the past 30 days. Non-LGBT youths were 40% less likely to use smokeless tobacco, but there were no other significant differences in behaviors between the two groups. The study sampled participants from venues that were youth-identified as being frequented by individuals of diverse sexual orientations, rather than using school-based sampling, so the high prevalence of smoking among the non-LGBT individuals could reflect the effects of social or environmental influences on smoking uptake. Click here to read the abstract of this article, which is published in the December 2008 American Journal of Preventive Medicine.

Impact of early sexual debut on gay men's tobacco use
It has been previously suggested that the experiences of young men who have sex with men (MSM) may differ from those who engage in heterosexual relationships because of the effects of homophobia. A study of 691 gay men in southwestern Pennsylvania found that earlier sexual debut—with men or women—was associated with smoking. The researchers hypothesize that men who have their sexual debut with men are more likely to face homophobia and to interact with social influences that encourage smoking. Thus, it is recommended that tobacco control and prevention programs should be cognizant of these sociocultural issues that affect gay men. Click here to read the abstract of this study, which appears in the journal Nicotine and Tobacco Research.

top

Reports

New tobacco research finds Minnesota's Latino population smoking significantly less than general population
The first quantitative study of smoking habits in Minnesota’s Hispanic population found that smoking is less common among Latino and Hispanic individuals than in the general adult population. While 17% of Minnesotan adults are smokers, smokers only make up 13% of the state’s Hispanic population. Among Hispanic men, 22% were smokers, which is on par with the high smoking rate among men in the general population. Far fewer women—only 4%—were smokers, compared to the 16% of women in the general population who smoke. This is most likely related to Hispanic cultural disapproval of women’s smoking. Young Latino adults aged 18-24, of which 18% were smokers, were more likely to smoke than older adults. Latinos in this younger age group experimented with tobacco at a younger age than the older Latinos. Another noteworthy finding is that 39% of Latino smokers do not identify as smokers when asked, may have attributed to the lower reported smoking rates and can act as a barrier to cessation. Click here to read more about the findings. Click here to access the Diverse Racial Ethnic Groups and Nations (DREGAN) reports on smoking in Minnesota’s Hispanic population.

top

Back to Table of Contents