Abstract
Objectives. The purpose of the study was to determine associations between having a regular source of health care, advice from a physician to quit smoking, and smoking-related behaviors among African American smokers. Methods. A secondary analysis was conducted on data obtained from an intervention study with a post-test assessment of the effectiveness of smoking status as a vital sign. The setting was an adult walk-in clinic at a large inner-city hospital and 879 African American adult current smokers were examined. Results. Among African American smokers, there was an association between having a regular source of health care and planning to quit smoking within the next 30 days (OR = 1.46; 95% CI: 1.04-2.05), receiving physician advice to quit (OR = 1.46; 95% CI: 1.02-2.10), and smoking ≤ 10 cigarettes a day (OR = 1.42; 95% CI: 1.00-2.03). Conclusions. African American current smokers with a regular source of health care were further along the quitting process than those without a regular source of health care. Our findings indicate a potential benefit of complementing programs that increase physician cessation advice rates with policies that increase rates of health insurance and the likelihood that individuals have a regular source of health care.
Original language | English (US) |
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Article number | 91004 |
Pages (from-to) | 393-396 |
Number of pages | 4 |
Journal | Preventive medicine |
Volume | 34 |
Issue number | 3 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - 2002 |
Externally published | Yes |
Keywords
- Blacks
- Primary health care
- Smoking
- Smoking cessation
- Urban health