Open AccessAcculturation status has a modest effect on smoking prevalence among a cohort of Pacific fathers in New Zealand
Author(s) -
Tautolo ElShadan,
Schluter Philip J.,
Paterson Janis,
McRobbie Hayden
Publication year - 2011
Publication title -
australian and new zealand journal of public health
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.946
H-Index - 76
eISSN - 1753-6405
pISSN - 1326-0200
DOI - 10.1111/j.1753-6405.2011.00774.x
Subject(s) - acculturation , logistic regression , demography , tobacco control , cohort , population , confounding , smoking prevalence , ethnic group , pacific islanders , epidemiology , medicine , public health , immigration , geography , sociology , nursing , pathology , anthropology , archaeology
AbstractObjective:This article explores the relationship between smoking prevalence and acculturation among a cohort of Pacific Island fathers resident in New Zealand.Methods:Overall, 766 Pacific fathers were included in the analysis. Self‐reported smoking status was assessed and compared with data from a robust epidemiological measure of acculturation status specifically designed for use amongst the Pacific population. Additional variables describing socio‐demographic and other circumstances of the participating fathers were also incorporated in the analysis because of their known association with smoking behaviour.Results:Overall, 40.3% of Pacific fathers were current smokers. Multivariable logistic regression showed that acculturation status was associated with smoking crude ( p <0.001) and multivariable logistic regression models, when adjusting to socio‐demographic variables ( p =0.008).Conclusion:Smoking rates for Pacific fathers in New Zealand are high. There appears to be a modest effect of acculturation on smoking prevalence, where those fathers with higher Pacific cultural identity have the lowest smoking rates. It is opined that the strength of identification and a holistic view of health enhances the motivations of Pacific fathers to be smoke‐free in New Zealand.Implications:Strategies which maintain, enhance, and incorporate fathers’ Pacific cultural identity may be a useful addition to comprehensive tobacco control strategies to reduce the prevalence of smoking in Pacific people living in New Zealand.