CIGARETTE-SMOKING IN A MULTIETHNIC POPULATION OF YOUTH - METHODS AND BASE-LINE FINDINGS

Background. To expand upon recent research studies that have identifie d dramatic ethnic differences in adolescent cigarette smoking, this st udy was designed to characterize smoking among a multiethnic populatio n of adolescents and to identify significant factors that may protect against smoking initiation. Methods. During the first 2 years, this mi xed cross-sectional, longitudinal study recruited and collected baseli ne data from a volunteer sample of 1,441 Houston-area public school st udents in the 5th, 8th, or 12th grade. A wide range of new and establi shed predictors of smoking behavior was assessed, and their associatio ns with ever smoking and susceptibility to smoking were assessed withi n ethnicity (white, N = 537; African-American, N = 454; and Hispanic, N = 297). Results. Consistent with previous studies, white students sm oked in substantially higher proportions than African-American student s, with Hispanic adolescents in-between. Simultaneously adjusting for other variables, the odds of ever smoking (OR = 0.47, P < 0.01) and su sceptibility to smoking (OR = 0.64, P < 0.01) were significantly lower among African-American adolescents when compared with whites; odds ra tios for Hispanics and whites did not differ. Across all three ethnici ties, the most important predictor of both ever smoking and susceptibi lity to smoking was the smoking status of the three best friends. Seve ral ethnicity-specific variables also were identified. Conclusions. In concordance with previous investigations, cigarette smoking prevalenc e differs by ethnicity, and the factors associated with ever smoking a nd susceptibility to smoking differ among white, African-American, and Hispanic adolescents. The results of this study may be used to develo p theory-based, culturally appropriate smoking intervention programs f or adolescents. (C) 1998 American Health Foundation and Academic Press .