Smoking Prevalence and Correlates among Chinese Immigrants: A Secondary Data Analysis Study

Abstract

Purpose: This study aimed to (1) identify the smoking prevalence among Chinese immigrants and (2) explore associations between their current smoking behaviors and demographic factors, psychological distress, and health utilization factors. Methods: Inclusion criteria were applied to extract data from the 2016 California Health Interview Survey; 650 eligible Chinese immigrant respondents were included in the sample. Independent variables were extracted based on the Integrated Model of Behavioral Prediction. Descriptive analyses and logistic regression were conducted using SAS 9.4 software. Results: 4.23% of the surveyed Chinese immigrants were current smokers. Chinese immigrants who were 50–65 years old, male, had less than a bachelor’s degree education level, and a lower income were more likely to be current smokers. Income was significantly associated with Chinese immigrants’ current smoking status (p = 0.0471). Conclusions: Chinese immigrants’ current smoking behaviors are significantly associated with their income. Interventions targeting low-income Chinese immigrants and tobacco price policies could potentially influence Chinese immigrants’ smoking behaviors. Health education about smoking cessation should focus on male Chinese immigrant smokers who are 50–65 years old and have less than a bachelor’s degree education and a lower income. More research needs to be carried out to encourage Chinese immigrants to quit smoking.