Socioepidemiology of Cigarette Smoking Among Cambodian Americans in Long Beach, California

We examined the prevalence of cigarette smoking among Cambodian Americans in Long Beach, California. A stratified random sample
of 1,414 adult respondents was selected from 15 census tracts with high concentrations of Cambodian Americans. The prevalence
of current smokers was 13.0%; the sex-specific prevalence of smoking was 24.4% for men and 5.4% for women. The mean age of
the sample was 50.5 years; about 60% of the respondents were women. The survey response rate was 90.5% among households in
which respondents self-identified as Cambodian American, and at least one person completed the survey. Significant covariates
of current smoking were gender, age, education, marital status, and health status. The prevalence of smoking among Cambodian
men was higher than among other males in California. Culturally-tailored interventions should consider demographic characteristics
of the target population as well as the high level of respect given to religion, elders, and peers.