• A J Flint and T E Novotny.
• University of California, San Francisco, Division of Pediatric Cardiology, USA.
• Am J Prev Med. 1998 Jan 1; 14 (1): 192419-24.

ObjectivesA study was undertaken to analyze the independent relationship between race (black/white) and cigarette smoking among 18- to 24-year-olds in the United States, 1983-1993.MethodsAn 11-year analysis of cross-sectional national surveys was used in the study. Odds ratio for current smoking among black-surveyed subjects (vs. whites) was determined.ResultsThe multiple logistic regression-derived odds ratio (OR) for current smoking for blacks aged 18 to 24 years, vs. whites, decreased from 0.69 (95% CI 0.53, 0.89) in 1983 to 0.26 (95% CI 0.17, 0.42) in 1993. The combined-years model predicted a decrease in OR for blacks from 0.82 in 1983 to 0.30 in 1993, adjusted for sex, age, education, poverty status, and geographic region.ConclusionFrom 1983 to 1993, blacks aged 18 to 24 years became decreasingly at risk to be smokers, compared to whites, even after adjustment for confounding factors. Young blacks have been more resistant than young whites to begin smoking in recent years. Understanding reasons behind this widening black/white difference could lead to better prevention strategies.

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