Family Support and Readiness to Consider Smoking Cessation among Chinese and Vietnamese American Male Smokers

Introduction. Smoking prevalence is disproportionately high among Asian American immigrant men with limited English proficiency. Understanding the role of family support may provide insights into culturally acceptable strategies to promote smoking cessation. Aims. This study examined how family support was associated with readiness to consider smoking cessation among Chinese and Vietnamese American male daily smokers. Methods. We analyzed baseline data (N = 340) from a cluster randomized trial of a family-based healthy lifestyle intervention. We assessed the frequency of receiving family support in various forms (encouraging use of cessation resources, praising efforts, checking in, and reminding of familial role). Multiple regression analysis was used to determine associations between family support areas and readiness to consider smoking cessation, controlling for covariates. Results/Findings. Reporting a higher frequency of receiving praise and encouragement for one’s efforts to quit was positively associated with readiness to consider cessation. Other areas of family support were not significant. Conclusions. These findings provide evidence to explore specific areas of family support in enhancing Asian American smokers’ readiness to consider cessation. As there is high interest from Asian American family members to support their smokers for quitting, culturally specific and acceptable strategies are needed to promote smoking cessation among Asian Americans

Cardiovascular Risk Factors and Knowledge of Symptoms Among Vietnamese Americans

BACKGROUND: There are few population-based studies of cardiovascular risk factors, knowledge, and related behaviors among Vietnamese Americans. OBJECTIVE: To describe cardiovascular risk factors, knowledge, and related behaviors among Vietnamese Americans and compare the results to non-Hispanic whites. DESIGN: Comparison of data from two populationbased, cross-sectional telephone surveys

Trends in Racial Discrimination Experiences for Asian Americans During the COVID-19 Pandemic

BackgroundAsian Americans (AAs) are experiencing increased rates of anti-Asian racism during COVID-19. Experiences of racism, whether personal or collective, constitute stress and psychosocial trauma that negatively impact mental and physical health.ObjectivesExamine subgroup differences in rates of personal experience of discrimination and COVID-related collective racism and how each is associated with mental and physical health for AAs.MethodsNationally representative data from the 2021 Asian American and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander COVID-19 Needs Assessment Project were used to estimate prevalence rates of discrimination and average COVID-related collective racism scores for AAs (unweighted N = 3478). We conducted logistic and linear regression models to examine subgroup differences by sociodemographic factors. We also conducted hierarchical logistic regression models to examine associations between racism and psychological distress and health decline.ResultsTwenty-four percent of AAs (95% CI: 21.6, 25.6) reported experiencing discrimination during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic. Subgroup analyses revealed that Chinese, younger adults, and AAs who completed the survey in an Asian language were significantly more likely to experience discrimination compared to their counterparts. For COVID-related collective racism, subgroup analyses revealed that Chinese, women, and adults ages 25-44 were more likely to report experiences of collective racism compared to their counterparts. Both discrimination and collective racism were independently associated with negative mental and physical health.ConclusionDiscrimination and COVID-related collective racism are associated with negative mental and physical health outcomes for AAs. Results point to vulnerable AA subgroups and the need for targeted public health efforts to address racism in the context of COVID-19

Evaluating a population-based recruitment approach and a stage-based expert system intervention for smoking cessation

A stage-matched expert system intervention was evaluated on 4144 smokers in a two-arm randomized control trial with four follow-ups over 24 months. Smokers were recruited by random digit-dial calls, and 80.0% of the eligible smokers were enrolled. Individualized and interactive expert system computer reports were sent at 0, 3, and 6 months. The reports provided feedback on 15 variables relevant for progressing through the stages. The primary outcomes were point prevalence and prolonged abstinence rates. At 24 months, the expert system resulted in 25.6% point prevalence and 12% prolonged abstinence, which were 30% and 56% greater than the control condition. Abstinence rates at each 6-month follow-up were significantly greater in the Expert System (ES) condition than in the comparison condition with the absolute difference increasing at each follow-up. A proactive home-based stage-matched expert system smoking cessation program can produce both high participation rates and relatively high abstinence rates. Copyright © 2001 Elsevier Science Ltd

Suffering in Silence: Impact of Tobacco Use on Communication Dynamics Within Vietnamese and Chinese Immigrant Families.

The goal of this project was to explore family communication dynamics and their implications for smoking cessation. We conducted 39 in-depth dyadic and individual qualitative interviews with 13 immigrant smoker-family member pairs of Vietnamese ( n = 9 dyads, 18 individuals) and Chinese ( n = 4 dyads, 8 individuals) descent, including seven current and six former smokers and 13 family members. All 13 dyadic and 26 individual interviews were analyzed using a collaborative crystallization process as well as grounded theory methods. We identified three interrelated pathways by which tobacco use in immigrant Vietnamese and Chinese families impacts family processes and communication dynamics. Using a two-dimensional model, we illustrate how the shared consequences of these pathways can contribute to a dynamic of avoidance and noncommunication, resulting in individual family members "suffering in silence" and ultimately smoking being reinforced. We discuss the implications of these findings for development of smoking cessation interventions