for Proposed Diversity Supplement Research Project: China and Vietnam comprise the world's 1st and 10th largest consumers of cigarettes (Giovino et al., 2012; Peter et al., 2009). Approximately 1.1 million people in China die each year from smoking-related illness, and these illnesses are projected to cause 1 in 3 deaths of Chinese men by 2030 (Peter, Chen, & Borehamn, 2009). Similarly, in Vietnam, tobacco-related deaths accounted for 28% of all male deaths in 2008 (Norman et al., 2013). However, smoking cessation programs within these countries have been limited in effectiveness (Jiang et al., 2010; Tran et al., 2013). One reason why interventions may have been limited in success thus far is that they have failed to address the important social function of cigarettes in each country (Burgess et al., 2014; Dean, Bodner, Al-Bannay, & Li, 2013; Ma et al., 2013). In China and Vietnam, the sharing of cigarettes among men at social gatherings is an accepted social activity that promotes social bonding (Burgess et al., 2014; Ma et al., 2013), and cigarettes are commonly shared as gifts during special events (Burgess et al., 2014; Hu et al., 2012). Furthermore, in collectivistic societies (e.g., China and Vietnam), the role of social influences on smoking rates may be more impactful (Rich, Luo, & Xiao, 2011; Ma et al., 2013). However, the extent to which social factors predict success of various types of smoking cessation interventions, as well as effects of quitting smoking on social relationships in these countries, are unknown. A better understanding of social factors involved in the process of quitting smoking in China and Vietnam will be critical for further improving culturally appropriate smoking cessation interventions. Thus, the current supplemental study aims to investigate the role of social factors in predicting the rate of success of the parent award's smoking cessation intervention. Also examined will be how cessation affects social relationships.
The purpose of this supplement is to assess whether social variables (e.g., friendship, social support) predict smoking cessation success for Chinese and Vietnamese men participating in a smoking cessation intervention. Also, qualitative data will be gained from successful quitters to examine perceptions of the effects of the smoking cessation intervention on social relationships.
