Over 6 million Latinos (10.7%) are current smokers and they are more likely to start smoking as they acculturate ? especially women. Smoking among Latinos is complex as Latinos are a heterogeneous group differing by countries of origin, acculturation to the U.S., and immigration generation. Strikingly, the incidence of invasive cancers, including lung cancer, among Latinos is projected to increase by 142% by 2030. Considering the increasing incidence of cancer and the diversity of the Latino population in the U.S., understanding smoking behaviors, including cessation, among a diverse sample of Latinos is a critical public health priority. Decdetext is an innovative mobile smoking cessation intervention for Latinos that incorporates: 1) an e-Health platform that collects personal smoking-related information to support the development of an individualized quit plan; and 2) a 24-week text messaging ?skills-based counseling? program that includes educational information, behavioral strategies, motivational messaging, and pharmacotherapy support. The proposed diversity supplement is directly aligned with the theoretical framework of Decdetext ? the Biopsychosocial Model of Nicotine Dependence ? which conceptualizes tobacco use and abstinence as resulting from multifaceted relationships between sociocultural, psychological and biological variables. Following this model, the objective of this supplement is to assess the relationship between sociocultural (socioeconomic status, healthcare access, country of birth, acculturation, acculturation stress, gender, generation, and years in the U.S.), psychological (depression, and anxiety), and biological (comorbidities and alcohol use) variables with smoking patterns (cigarettes per day, days smoked/week, nicotine dependence, carbon monoxide level, and use of other tobacco products). This objective will be achieved through two specific aims:
Aim 1 : To describe the association between biological, psychological, and sociocultural characteristics of Latino smokers and their smoking patterns and;
Aim 2 : To examine the variability in biopsychosocial variables and smoking patterns among Latinos by country of origin, acculturation, and generation. This approach is innovative as it is aiming to assess the intersection of biopsychosocial characteristics with smoking patterns from Latinos participating in an m-Health smoking cessation intervention, Decidetext. The proposed research is significant because it will help us design culturally and linguistically effective smoking cessation interventions for Latinos.
Understanding how biopsychosocial characteristics affects smoking patterns among Latinos is of vital importance to further promote smoking cessation strategies for this population. Given the distinct nature and heterogeneity that exists among Latinos, this proposal aims to look at these characteristics by country of birth. The findings of this study may guide members of the public health community and practitioners towards creating programs that will help Latinos quit smoking.
