Summary
This study aims to inform public health strategies that can mitigate smoking related disparities and improve health outcomes for marginalized populations. Researchers assessed the prevalence of cigarette smoking by demographic characteristics among California adults. They used secondary data from the 2019 California Health Interview Survey (CHIS) that was collected through a random-digit dial telephone survey. Adults ages 18+ were interviewed. We utilized secondary data comprised of 22,160 participants. We conducted interactions between gender and race/ethnicity, and one's smoking status. Multinomial logistic regression test was conducted to predict the probability of participants' level. This study was approved by the researchers Institutional Review Board.
Findings: Majority or participants were nonsmokers and mostly females. Many had a bachelor’s degree or some college, vocational training, or an associate degree. Many participants were married/living with a partner (59.8%) and (25.7%) were single. Most participants spoke English (55.4%) and the largest race/ethnic groups were white (40.2%) followed by Latinos (21.8%).
Findings suggest that one’s demographics characteristics does play a role in smoking consumption rates. Addressing disparities in smoking and cancer requires a multifaceted approach that includes policy changes, targeted interventions, and improved access to health care and smoking cessation resources. Hence, public health efforts should create evidence-based interventions and consider the social, economic, and cultural contexts of target populations to reduce disparities in smoking and cancer.
