Racial/Ethnic Differences in Perceived Smoking Prevalence: Evidence from a National Survey of Teens

Davis, Kevin C.; Nonnemaker, James M.; Asfaw, Hosanna A.; Vallone, Donna M.

doi:10.3390/ijerph7124152

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Racial/Ethnic Differences in Perceived Smoking Prevalence: Evidence from a National Survey of Teens

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RTI International, 3040 Cornwallis Road, Research Triangle Park, NC 277009, USA

American Legacy Foundation, 1724 Massachusetts Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20036, USA

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Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2010, 7(12), 4152-4168; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph7124152

Received: 4 November 2010 / Revised: 26 November 2010 / Accepted: 1 December 2010 / Published: 2 December 2010

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Tobacco Smoking: Public Health, Science and Policy)

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Abstract

Prior studies show that perceived smoking prevalence is a significant predictor of smoking initiation. In this study, we examine racial/ethnic differences in perceived smoking prevalence and racial/ethnic differences in exposure to contextual factors associated with perceived smoking prevalence. We used cross-sectional time series data from the Legacy Media Tracking Surveys (LMTS), a national sample of 35,000 12- to 17-year-olds in the United States. Perceived smoking prevalence was the primary outcome variable, measured using an LMTS question: “Out of every 10 people your age, how many do you think smoke?” Multivariable models were estimated to assess the association between perceived smoking prevalence; race/ethnicity; and exposure to social contextual factors. Findings indicate that African American, Hispanic, and American Indian youth exhibit the highest rates of perceived smoking prevalence, while white and Asian youth exhibit the lowest. Minority youth are also disproportionately exposed to social contextual factors that are correlated with high perceived smoking prevalence. These findings suggest that disproportionate exposure to social contextual factors may partially explain why minority youth exhibit such high levels of perceived smoking prevalence. View Full-Text

Keywords: perceived smoking prevalence; youth smoking prevention; smoking perceptions; race/ethnicity

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MDPI and ACS Style

Davis, K.C.; Nonnemaker, J.M.; Asfaw, H.A.; Vallone, D.M. Racial/Ethnic Differences in Perceived Smoking Prevalence: Evidence from a National Survey of Teens. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2010, 7, 4152-4168. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph7124152

AMA Style

Davis KC, Nonnemaker JM, Asfaw HA, Vallone DM. Racial/Ethnic Differences in Perceived Smoking Prevalence: Evidence from a National Survey of Teens. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. 2010; 7(12):4152-4168. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph7124152

Chicago/Turabian Style

Davis, Kevin C., James M. Nonnemaker, Hosanna A. Asfaw, and Donna M. Vallone. 2010. "Racial/Ethnic Differences in Perceived Smoking Prevalence: Evidence from a National Survey of Teens" International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 7, no. 12: 4152-4168. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph7124152

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Racial/Ethnic Differences in Perceived Smoking Prevalence: Evidence from a National Survey of Teens

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