Tobacco use in a tri-ethnic population of older women in southeastern North Carolina.

OBJECTIVE

While many studies have evaluated the epidemiology of tobacco use nationally and among specific populations, less is known about the epidemiology of tobacco use among elderly women. We examined the epidemiology of tobacco use among a tri-racial population of elderly women in southeastern North Carolina.

DESIGN

Survey

SETTING

Senior centers, community events, and communal meal settings in Robeson County, North Carolina.

PARTICIPANTS

Two hundred forty (240) women aged 60 and older, with approximately 80 women recruited from each ethnic group: Native American, African-American, and White.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

Demographic information, health history, and use of alcohol, cigarettes, and smokeless tobacco (ST).

RESULTS

Of the total sample of 240 women, 38 (16%) were current ST users. In logistic regression analysis, current ST use was inversely associated with age and education, but positively associated with Native American or African-American ethnicity. Sixteen (17%) of the total sample were current smokers. In logistic regression, younger age and any alcohol use in the past year were associated with current smoking

CONCLUSIONS

In a tri-ethnic, community-based sample of older women, rates of current ST use were greater than national rates found among women of all ages in each ethnic group. On the other hand, rates of current smoking among these older women were lower than the national prevalence for women among all ages in these 3 respective ethnic groups. The distinctly different epidemiology of ST use vs cigarette smoking among these women high-lights the need to tailor tobacco interventions to each specific product.