Smoking-related knowledge, attitudes, and behaviours among Alaska Native people: a population-based study

Background. Several studies have shown that Alaska Native people have higher smoking prevalence than non-Natives. However, no population-based studies have explored whether smoking-related knowledge, attitudes and behaviors also differ between Alaska Native people and non-Natives. Objective. We compared current smoking prevalence and smoking-related knowledge, attitudes and behavior of Alaska Native adults living in the State of Alaska with non-Natives. Methods. We used Alaska Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System data for 1996 to 2010 to compare smoking prevalence, consumption, and cessation- and secondhand smoke-related knowledge, attitudes and behaviors between self-identified Alaska Native people and non-Natives. Results. Current smoking prevalence was 41% (95% CI: 37.9%-44.4%) among Alaska Native people compared to 17.1% (95% CI: 15.9%-18.4%) among non-Natives. Among every day smokers, Alaska Natives were five times more likely to smoke less than 10 cigarettes per day (OR=5.0, 95% CI: 2.6-9.6) than non-Natives. Compared to non-Native smokers, Alaska Native smokers were as likely to have made a past year quit attempt (OR=1.4, 95% CI: 0.9-2.1), but the attempt was less likely to be successful (OR=0.5, 95% CI: 0.2-0.9). Among current smokers, Alaska Natives were more likely to believe SHS was very harmful (OR=4.5, 95% CI: 2.8-7.2), to believe that smoking should not be allowed in indoor work areas (OR=1.9, 95% CI: 1.1-3.1) or in restaurants (OR=4.2, 95% CI: 2.5-6.9), to have a home smoking ban (OR=2.5, 95% CI: 1.6-3.9), and to have no home exposure to SHS in the past 30 days (OR=2.3, 95% CI: 1.5-3.6) than non-Natives. Conclusion. Although a disparity in current smoking exists, Alaska Native people have smoking-related knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors that are encouraging for reducing the burden of smoking in this population. Programs should support efforts to promote cessation, prevent relapse, and establish smoke-free environments. Keywords: smoking, smoking cessation, Alaska Native people, disparities, indigenous populations (Published: 5 August 2013) This paper is part of  Supplement 1, 2013, ICCH15 Proceedings . More papers from this Supplement can be found  here . Citation: Int J Circumpolar Health 2013, 72 : 21141 - http://dx.doi.org/10.3402/ijch.v72i0.21141