Comparison of characteristics among Korean American male smokers between survey and cessation studies ()
ABSTRACT
This study compared characteristics
of Korean American men in two studies: a telephone survey with a random
sample of Korean American men who reported
daily smoking versus a smoking cessation clinical trial with a
convenience sample of Korean American men who reported smoking at least 10
cigarettes a day. Guided by the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB), both studies
attempted to explain how much its theoretical
variables (attitudes, perceived social norms, and self-efficacy) would explain
quit intentions in Korean American men. Participants in the cessation study
were less likely to have health insurance coverage (χ2 [2, 271] = 138.31, p = 0.001) than
those in the survey study. The cessation group was more likely to smoke
in indoor offices (χ2 [1, 231] = 18.09, p = 0.003) and
had higher nicotine dependence than the survey group (t269 = 3.32, p =
0.001) but these differences became insignificant when only those who smoked 10 or more cigarettes were compared.
Participants in the cessation study had more positive attitudes towards
quitting (t267 = 4.99, p < 0.001), stronger perceived social
norms favoring quitting (t269 = 5.63, p < 0.001) and greater quit intentions (t268 = 9.86, p < 0.001) at baseline than those in
the survey study. Korean American men are more likely to have a quit intention
and make a quit attempt when they have more positive and fewer negative attitudes
towards quitting and perceive stronger social norms favoring quitting. To motivate
Korean American men to quit smoking, clinicians should underscore the immediate
health benefits of quitting, promote quitting with cessation aids to reduce
perceived risks of quitting in anticipation of withdrawal symptoms, and encourage
family members to relate firm anti-smoking messages.
Share and Cite:
Kim, S. , Kim, S. , McKay, C. and Ziedonis, D. (2013) Comparison of characteristics among Korean American male smokers between survey and cessation studies.
Open Journal of Preventive Medicine,
3, 293-300. doi:
10.4236/ojpm.2013.33040.