Associations Between Women's Perception of Their Husbands'/Partners' Social Support and Pap Screening in Pacific Islander Communities.

Pacific Islanders experience high rates of cervical cancer incidence and mortality. This cross-sectional study examined the extent to which Samoan, Chamorro, and Tongan women's perceived receipt of social support from their husbands or male partners was associated with rates of routine cancer screening- specifically Pap testing. A total of 585 Pacific Islander women who live in the United States completed a self-report survey. Women who reported having a Pap test within the past 3 years had significantly higher scores on support from their husbands/male partners. Furthermore, the relationship of emotional support and informational support with increased Pap testing was significantly stronger for Tongan women. The findings suggest that men play an important role in promoting women's cancer prevention behaviors in Pacific Islander and potentially other collectivistic populations. Incorporating social support messages into interventions may be a simple yet effective strategy to increase women's Pap testing.

Substance use and its relationship to family functioning and self-image in adolescents.

This study examined associations between substance use, family functioning, and self-image among four ethnic adolescent groups. Three thousand three hundred and fifteen 8th and 9th grade students were recruited from 10 schools in Los Angeles County. Participants completed a paper-and-pencil survey regarding their alcohol and marijuana use, along with their perceived family functioning and self-image and other demographic variables. Ordinal logistic regression was performed to examine associations. Results indicated that both family functioning and self-image were significantly associated with alcohol and marijuana use. Those who scored lower on family functioning and self-image were at increased risk for substance use. Furthermore, students who scored low in both family functioning and self-image were about twice as likely to report using alcohol.

Is image everything? The role of self-image in the relationship between family functioning and substance use among Hispanic adolescents.

This cross-sectional self-report study examined (1) whether family functioning (Family Functioning in Adolescence Questionnaire, FFAQ) and self-image (Piers-Harris Children's Self-Concept Scale) have independent associations with smoking and alcohol use and (2) whether self-image mediates the relationship between family functioning, smoking, and alcohol use among 1,598 Hispanic males and females in grades 7 through 12 in Los Angeles County, California, in 2001. The findings supported the main effects and, to some degree, the mediational effects that were hypothesized. Limitations and implications for this study are discussed, and directions for future research are suggested. This study was funded by the California Tobacco Related Disease Research Program.

Association between psychological factors and adolescent smoking in seven cities in China.

BACKGROUND: Cigarette smoking is a culturally accepted behavior among adult males in China. However, there is limited information on smoking among Chinese adolescents, particularly the information on the relationship between psychological well-being and smoking behavior among this population. PURPOSE: This study explored associations between three psychological factors--anxiety, hostility, and depressive symptoms--and smoking behavior among Chinese adolescents. METHODS: The data presented in this study are a cross-sectional slice from a longitudinal investigation of tobacco use and lifestyle carried out in China. The study population consisted of 4,724 7th and 11th grade students from seven large cities in China. RESULTS: Odds ratios showed that anxiety, hostility, and depressive symptoms were significantly associated with a higher risk of lifetime smoking for both boys and girls. CONCLUSION: Much like their Western counterparts, Chinese adolescents face developmental stress. The resulting distress may increase their risk for substance use and other health-risk behaviors.

Ethnic variation in the association between weight concern and adolescent smoking.

This study examined differences in associations between weight concern and smoking initiation among culturally diverse adolescents. Statistical analyses were conducted on responses from 3,515 students in the 8th and 9th grades from three school districts in Los Angeles County. The restrained eating scale, adapted from the Dutch Eating Behavior Questionnaire, was used to measure students' weight concerns. Our results indicated that weight concern was significantly associated with increased risk for smoking. Those who scored higher on weight concern were approximately 40% more likely to report having tried smoking and smoked in the past 30 days. Compared to White students who reported weight concerns, Asian-American and African-American students were significantly less likely to report having tried smoking whereas Hispanic students were more likely to report having tried smoking. Health educators may wish to design smoking prevention programs which advocate for alternative methods of weight reduction rather than using smoking as a means of weight control.

Longitudinal effects of pro-tobacco and anti-tobacco messages on adolescent smoking susceptibility.

We examined the longitudinal impact of self-reported exposure to pro- and anti-tobacco media on adolescents' susceptibility to smoking, using in-school surveys from a culturally diverse sample. Ethnicity and acculturation also were examined as potential moderators. Middle-school students (N = 2,292) completed self-report questionnaires during the 6th, 7th, and 8th grades. Chi-square analyses were conducted to determine whether reported exposure to pro- and anti-tobacco media varied according to ethnicity, acculturation, and immigration status. Logistic regression models were used to examine whether pro- and anti-tobacco media exposure in 6th grade was associated with susceptibility to smoking by later grades. Recall of people smoking in television programs and pro-tobacco advertisements in stores was associated with adolescent smoking susceptibility. Exposure to anti-tobacco advertisements on television protected against susceptibility. No significant interaction effects between pro- and anti-tobacco media exposure on smoking susceptibility were found. Ethnicity and acculturation did not moderate these associations. Our longitudinal study provides evidence that pro-tobacco media and advertising increases susceptibility to smoking over time. More important, anti-tobacco advertisements are not sufficient to reduce the harmful effects of adolescent exposure to pro-tobacco media. Policy-level interventions such as restrictions in tobacco advertising may be necessary to prevent adolescent smoking.

Effects of acculturation and social norms on adolescent smoking among Asian-American subgroups.

This study provides new information about how acculturation and perceived social norms affect adolescents smoking among four Asian-American subgroups. Results showed differences in smoking prevalence rates across subgroups, with Koreans having the highest rates of smoking, while Chinese have the lowest rates. In contrast to the large gender disparity in the ancestral countries, smoking rates were equal for Asian-American boys and girls. Acculturation was significantly associated with an increased risk for lifetime smoking for Asian-American girls, but not for boys. Perceived social norms regarding peer smoking were significantly associated with smoking behaviors for both genders and for all subgroups.

Smoking among adolescents in China: an analysis based upon the meanings of smoking theory.

PURPOSE: This study utilized the Meanings of Behavior theory to examine whether meanings of smoking differ among adolescents in China who were never smokers, ever smokers, and past-30-day smokers. The Meanings of Behavior theory argues that affect takes precedence over cognitive constructs in motivating behavior This study also examined whether the associations among meanings of smoking and smoking behavior vary by age and gender DESIGN: This study was a cross-sectional study using survey data. SETTING: Middle and high schools in seven cities in China. SUBJECTS: A random sample of 4724 students comprised this study. MEASURE: A self-administered questionnaire asked about smoking behavior and incorporated the meanings of smoking scale. RESULTS: Overall prevalence rates of ever smokers and past-30-day smokers in this sample were 24.3% and 9.0%. Smoking was much more prevalent in boys than in girls. Students in the 11th grade were more likely than those in the 7th grade to have tried smoking at some time and to have smoked within the past 30 days. Odds ratios confirmed that meanings of smoking were significantly associated with smoking behaviors. CONCLUSIONS: Meanings of smoking are associated with smoking behavior among Chinese adolescents in that smoking may connote autonomy, control, or social relatedness. Prevention programs in China require new strategies to incorporate meanings of smoking in order to meet adolescent psychological needs for autonomy, competence, and social connections.

Hostility, depressive symptoms, and smoking in early adolescence.

Using logistic and multiple regression, we examined the association between hostility, level of depressive symptoms, and smoking in a sample of 1699 ethnically diverse students in California. Self-reports were collected twice from each student, at the beginning of the 6th and 7th grade years. Among 6th graders who had not smoked, depressive symptoms and hostility were associated with smoking initiation by the 7th grade. Among those students who had already tried smoking, increases in depressive symptoms and hostility were associated with more frequent smoking. The association between hostility and smoking was stronger for students reporting higher levels of depressive symptoms.