School of Community and Global Health, Claremont Graduate University, 180 E. Via Verde, Suite 100, San Dimas, CA 91773, USA.
Nicotine Tob Res. 2010 Apr;12(4):398-407. doi: 10.1093/ntr/ntq016. Epub 2010 Feb 18.
Menthol cigarette smoking is more prevalent among Blacks than among other groups in the United States. This study examined associations between demographic, psychological, attitudinal, social, and cultural factors and menthol smoking among Black adults.
This study recruited 720 Black smokers from community intercept locations throughout Los Angeles County, California, and surveyed them by telephone.
Fifty-seven percent of respondents were menthol-only smokers, 15% were regular-only smokers, and 28% smoked both menthols and regular cigarettes (combined smokers). In bivariate models, menthol-only and combined smokers had stronger beliefs in the medicinal effects of menthols relative to regular-only smokers. Menthol-only smokers held stronger beliefs, relative to regular-only smokers, that menthols were less harmful than regular cigarettes. Menthol-only smokers preferred the menthol taste/sensation more than combined smokers, who preferred the menthol taste/sensation more than regular-only smokers. Menthol-only and combined smokers had more menthol smokers in their current social networks compared with regular-only smokers. In multivariate analyses, preference for menthol taste/sensation, belief in medicinal effects of menthols, and menthol smokers in current social network differentiated menthol-only and combined smokers from regular-only smokers, controlling for confounding variables. Correlates of menthol smoking varied across genders and age groups.
Health education efforts are needed to dispel the myth that menthol cigarettes are more medicinal and less harmful than regular cigarettes. Prevention and cessation efforts in Black communities can be tailored to reflect predictors of menthol smoking to reduce tobacco-related morbidity and mortality. In the era of Food and Drug Administration regulation of cigarettes, research is needed to prevent health disparities associated with menthol cigarette smoking.
薄荷烟在吸烟的美国黑人群体中比其他群体更为流行。本研究旨在探讨人口统计学、心理学、态度、社会和文化因素与美国黑人成年薄荷烟使用之间的关系。
本研究通过在加利福尼亚州洛杉矶县的社区截流点招募了 720 名黑种烟民，并通过电话对他们进行了调查。
57%的受访者为只吸薄荷烟者，15%为只吸常规烟者，28%为既吸薄荷烟又吸常规烟者（混合烟民）。在双变量模型中，与只吸常规烟者相比，只吸薄荷烟者和混合烟民更相信薄荷烟具有药用功效。与只吸常规烟者相比，只吸薄荷烟者认为薄荷烟的危害小于常规烟。与混合烟民相比，只吸薄荷烟者更喜欢薄荷的味道/感觉，而混合烟民更喜欢薄荷的味道/感觉。与只吸常规烟者相比，只吸薄荷烟者和混合烟民当前的社交网络中有更多的薄荷烟民。在多变量分析中，对薄荷味道/感觉的偏好、对薄荷烟药用功效的信念以及当前社交网络中的薄荷烟民，在控制了混杂变量后，将只吸薄荷烟者和混合烟民与只吸常规烟者区分开来。薄荷烟使用的相关性因性别和年龄组而异。
需要开展健康教育工作，以消除薄荷烟比常规烟更具药用性且危害更小的误解。在黑人社群中，可以针对薄荷烟使用的预测因素制定预防和戒烟措施，以减少与烟草相关的发病率和死亡率。在食品和药物管理局对香烟进行监管的时代，需要开展研究来预防与薄荷烟使用相关的健康差异。
