%0 Journal Article %J Am J Ind Med %D 2010 %T Smoking and the Asian American workforce in the National Latino and Asian American Study. %A de Castro, A B %A Garcia, Gabriel %A Gee, Gilbert C %A Tsai, Jenny Hsin-Chun %A Rue, Tessa %A Takeuchi, David T %K Adolescent %K Adult %K Aged %K Asian Americans %K Cross-Sectional Studies %K Employment %K Female %K Hispanic Americans %K Humans %K Interviews as Topic %K Male %K Middle Aged %K Occupations %K Prevalence %K Smoking %K United States %K Young Adult %X

BACKGROUND: Smoking among the Asian American workforce has not been extensively researched. This study examines smoking prevalence among a nationally representative sample of Asian Americans with an emphasis on occupational classification.

METHODS: Cross-sectional data come from the National Latino and Asian American Study. Multivariate logistic regression analyses were used to determine smoking prevalence by occupation, gender, and nativity, among 1,528 participants self-identifying as in the labor force.

RESULTS: Blue collar workers reported the highest smoking prevalence (32%) followed by unemployed (19%), other (17%), service (14%), and white collar (10%). Among both employed males and females, blue collar workers had the highest prevalence (45% and 18%, respectively). By nativity, smoking was highest among blue collar workers for immigrants (25%) and highest among the unemployed for U.S. born (16%). Blue collar employment was significantly associated with being a current smoker (OR = 2.52; 95% CI: 1.23-5.16; P < 0.05) controlling for demographics (e.g., age, gender, ethnic group, nativity, etc.).

CONCLUSIONS: Findings reveal that smoking differs by occupation among Asian Americans. Future research should examine factors explaining differences while considering gender and nativity.

%B Am J Ind Med %V 53 %P 171-8 %8 2010 Feb %G eng %N 2 %R 10.1002/ajim.20697