Measurement of Tobacco Use among South Asians in the U.S.

描述（由申请人提供）：尽管与美国人口相比，国际上南亚人的健康状况存在显著差异，但对居住在美国的南亚人的健康状况知之甚少。此外，烟草消费的特点是土著烟草产品占很大比例，如bidis（棕色手卷小香烟）和gutkha和paan masala（咀嚼烟草）。这些受欢迎的南亚烟草产品在美国的少数民族飞地也很容易买到。此外，南亚人是美国第二大亚裔群体，也是增长最快的移民群体之一。现有的关于美国南亚人烟草使用的研究是有限的，因为它们往往受到地理限制或只关注吸烟。然而，在英国进行的研究表明，这表明移民南亚人可能有较高的烟草使用率，并可能继续使用他们的本土烟草产品。这项探索性研究提案描述了一项计划，旨在探索美国南亚人烟草使用监测中的测量问题。因此，我们将：1）进行焦点小组讨论，以了解美国南亚人的烟草使用情况，2)开发和完善一种调查工具，该工具将进行认知测试，以评估南亚人使用产品的流行程度，3）实施一项基于人群的分裂样本随机调查，以比较标准烟草使用措施和为衡量南亚特定烟草产品而开发的新问题，以及4）探索调查对象驱动抽样（RDS）方法覆盖南亚人的可行性。因此，这项拟议的研究的意义在于它有可能改善烟草监测方法，并更好地了解南亚移民中的土著烟草使用情况，这对宣传和指导烟草控制工作至关重要。 公共卫生相关性：本研究项目的目的是探讨在美国南亚人的烟草使用监测的测量问题，因此，这项拟议的研究的意义是它的潜力，以改善烟草监测方法，并产生更好地了解土著烟草使用南亚人，这是至关重要的通知和指导烟草控制工作。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Despite marked health disparities among South Asians internationally compared to the U.S. population, little is known about the health status of South Asians residing in the U.S. Unfortunately, there is a paucity of research on tobacco use behaviors in South Asians. Moreover, tobacco consumption is characterized by a large proportion of indigenous tobacco products, such as bidis, which are small brown hand-rolled cigarettes, and gutkha and paan masala, types of chew tobacco. These popular South Asian tobacco products are also readily available in ethnic enclaves in the U.S. In addition, South Asians are the second largest Asian group in the U.S. and among the fastest growing immigrant groups. Existing studies of tobacco use in South Asians in the U.S. are limited as they tend to be geographically restricted or focused only on cigarette smoking. However, studies conducted in the U.K. suggest that immigrant South Asians may have high rates of tobacco use and may continue use of their native tobacco products. This exploratory research proposal describes a plan to explore measurement issues in tobacco use surveillance of South Asians in the U.S. Accordingly, we will: 1) conduct focus groups to understand tobacco use among South Asians in the U.S., 2) develop and refine a survey instrument, which will undergo cognitive testing, to assess the prevalence of products used by South Asians, 3) implement a population-based split sample randomized survey to compare standard tobacco use measures and new questions developed to measure South Asian-specific tobacco products, and 4) explore the feasibility of a respondent driven sampling (RDS) approach to reach South Asians. Thus, the significance of this proposed research is its potential to improve tobacco surveillance methodologies and generate a better understanding of indigenous tobacco use among South Asian immigrants which is vital to informing and directing tobacco control efforts. PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: The purpose of this research project is to explore measurement issues in tobacco use surveillance of South Asians in the U.S. Thus, the significance of this proposed research is its potential to improve tobacco surveillance methodologies and generate a better understanding of indigenous tobacco use among South Asians which is vital to informing and directing tobacco control efforts.