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APHA Scientific Session and Event Listing

Robert Friis, PhD¹, Mohammed Forouzesh, PhD¹, Him Chhim², and Sheetal Monga, MS³. (1) Health Science, California State University Long Beach, 1250 Bellflower Blvd., Long Beach, CA 90840, 562-985-1537, rfriis@csulb.edu, (2) Cambodian Association of America, 2390 Pacific Avenue, Long Beach, CA 90806, (3) Department of Health Science, California State University, Long Beach, 1250 Bellflower Blvd., Long Beach, CA 90840

This was an exploratory study of tobacco use among Cambodian Americans in Long Beach, California. The largest settlement of Cambodians outside of Cambodia (n ~ 50,000) resides in Long Beach. Previous research suggests that smoking prevalence among persons of Cambodian heritage is high, ranging up to 70%. Consequently, this population is an appropriate target for smoking cessation interventions. Little is known regarding the sociodemographic correlates of tobacco use among this population. Such information could aid in the design of culturally appropriate cessation programs. We analyzed 2004 survey data from a convenience sample of respondents (n = 472) who participated in the annual Cambodian New Year's celebration or who were participants in social services programs. The mean age of the sample was 39 years (range = 15 years to 87 years); there were approximately equal percentages of males and females. A total of 99 persons (21%) indicated that they had ever smoked cigarettes; 64 respondents were current smokers. Among the total sample, 24% of males and 5% of females were current smokers. When status as a current smoker was cross-tabulated with gender, the frequency of smokers was four times as high among men as among women (81% versus 19%). While the present data are not from a prevalence survey, they suggest that smoking frequency is much higher among men than among women; however, the frequency of current smokers was lower than expected.

Learning Objectives:

• List sociodemographic factors associated with smoking among Cambodian Americans
• Describe components of a culturally appropriate smoking cessation program
• Recognize methods for assessment of frequency of cigarette smoking

Keywords: Asian Americans, Smoking

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Not Answered