Tobacco-Related Disparities in Specific Populations

Research

Influence of traditional tobacco use on smoking cessation among American Indians
A new study indicates that American Indians who use traditional tobacco may have longer periods of tobacco abstinence during quit attempts than those that do not. A cross-sectional survey of 998 Midwestern American Indian adults was used to investigate the role of traditional tobacco use in smoking cessation. The data showed that 33.3% of participants were current smokers, and of these individuals, those that used traditional tobacco were abstinent from tobacco for almost five times longer than those that did not (average of 87 days versus 18 days). This protective effect was reduced if the individual smoked traditional tobacco (55 days) instead of using it in other ways, such as burning it in a dish or fire (172 days). In addition, participants had low levels of awareness of smoking cessation pharmacotherapy options. The authors suggest that American Indian smokers could benefit from nicotine replacement therapy and pharmacotherapy, and reasons behind the lack of knowledge of them should be explored and addressed. This study will be presented in the May 2011 issue of Addiction; click here to read the abstract.

Deadly in pink: The impact of cigarette packaging among young women
Research to be published in the journal Tobacco Control shows that cigarette packaging, including branding, colors, and design elements, affects how appealing the products are to young women. Participants (512 young women, 18 to 25 years old) were randomized to view eight cigarette packages belonging to one of four conditions and rate them based on perceived appeal, taste, tar levels, health risks, and smoker traits. The four conditions were: fully-branded female brands; the same female brands with descriptors removed; plain packages; and fully-branded non-female brands. Respondents rated fully-branded female brands as more appealing, and these brands were associated with more positive attributes (such as glamour and attractiveness) than the other packages. Women viewing plain packages were less likely to believe that smoking controls appetite. The findings suggest that removing colors, design elements, and descriptors from cigarette packages could help reduce their appeal among young women. Read more here. Related: Toll of Tobacco on Women and Girls fact sheets With Mother’s Day approaching, the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids has updated its fact sheets on the toll of tobacco on women and girls. The state-specific tobacco data could be used for special Mother's Day press releases, newspaper columns, op-ed pieces, and Letters to the Editor, or to publicize and support state or local tobacco control measures. Click here to access the fact sheets.

Rural print media portrayal of secondhand smoke and smoke-free policy
Researchers investigating how the print media portrays secondhand smoke and smoke-free policies in rural communities have found that several community factors are associated with media favorability toward smoke-free policies versus pro-tobacco messages. A total of 709 print newspaper clippings were collected at baseline of an intervention promoting smoke-free policies in forty counties in rural Kentucky. The articles were coded and analyzed for trends in proportion of articles related to tobacco or smoke-free policy. The researchers found that larger community population was associated with a higher percentage of favorable articles about smoke-free policies, while adult smoking prevalence was negatively correlated with the percentage of articles about health and comfort related to secondhand smoke. In addition, the amount of tobacco produced by a community was positively related to the percentage of pro-tobacco articles found. The authors suggest that health advocates undertake media advocacy efforts in rural communities to redirect attention from pro-tobacco to pro-health messages. Click here to read the study abstract, published online ahead of print in Health Promotion Practice.

Cigarette smoking as part of a syndemic among young men who have sex with men ages 13-29 in New York City
To gain a better understanding of smoking among young men who have sex with men (YMSM), a group of researchers surveyed 580 YMSM, ages 13-29, in New York City to identify demographic and risk factors associated with smoking. The data showed that Asian or Pacific Islanders and white YMSM were more likely to report smoking than other racial and ethnic groups. Smoking was associated with the use of illicit substances and risky sexual behaviors. YMSM are known to have significantly higher smoking rates than their heterosexual peers, and these findings suggest that tobacco prevention and cessation programs are an important component of health programs targeting YMSM. Click here to read the abstract of the research in the Journal of Urban Health.

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Reports

White House effort to curb tobacco use among military families is vital support for armed services
Public health groups across the country have joined in a new White House effort, Joining Forces, which seeks to support and improve the health of military personnel, veterans, and their families. The initiative includes a wellness component which will focus in part on tobacco prevention and cessation. The initiative also focuses on employment of veterans and military spouses and education of military children. Anti-tobacco groups have made commitments to reach military community members in order to reduce tobacco use and improve the health and preparedness of military personnel. According to 2008 data, the smoking rate among military personnel is 30.6%, compared to 20.6% among the general population. Click here to learn more about Joining Forces, or click here to read a statement from the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, which has pledged to reach over 800,000 military community members through educational events and campaigns.

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