A Social Network Family-Focused Intervention to Promote Smoking Cessation in Chinese and Vietnamese American Male Smokers: A Feasibility Study

Abstract

Introduction: Smoking prevalence is high among limited English-proficient Chinese and Vietnamese American men, who are frequently unmotivated to quit and who underutilize smoking cessation resources. This study applied lay health worker outreach to leverage peer and family networks to promote smoking cessation among these men. Methods: We integrated qualitative formative research findings and Social Network Theory to develop a social-network family-focused intervention. In a pilot single-group trial, 15 lay health workers recruited 96 dyads (N = 192, 75% Vietnamese) of Chinese or Vietnamese male daily smokers and their family members and delivered the intervention consisting of two small group education sessions and two individual telephone calls over 2 months. Results: At baseline, 42% of smokers were at precontemplation. At 3 months following the initiation of the intervention, 7-day and 30-day point prevalence smoking abstinence rates as reported by smokers and independently corroborated by family members were 30% and 24%, respectively. Utilization of smoking cessation resources (medication, quitline, physician's advice) increased from 2% to 60% (P < .001). Findings showed high acceptability of the intervention as it facilitated learning about tobacco-related health risks and cessation resources, and communications between smokers and their families. Conclusions: This novel social network family-focused intervention to promote smoking cessation among Chinese and Vietnamese smokers appears to be acceptable, feasible, and potentially efficacious. Findings warrant evaluation of long-term efficacy of the intervention in a larger scale randomized controlled trial.

Impact of a smoke‐free–living educational intervention for smokers and household nonsmokers: A randomized trial of Chinese American pairs

“…Another trial in China indicated that a family‐assisted, motivational interviewing intervention (4 sessions) had higher rates of past‐week smoker abstinence at 6 months than an individual‐based intervention . A social‐network, family‐assisted intervention (2 group sessions and 2 follow‐up calls) demonstrated that Chinese and Vietnamese American smokers had a 30‐day abstinence rate of 24% at 3 months . Our study is consistent with these findings, indicating that engaging a household member with small group sessions may boost smoking‐cessation efforts and may improve elimination of household nonsmoker exposure.…”

“…Knowledge about secondhand smoke harms may not be enough, as demonstrated with the Health Belief Model, and future interventions could tailor actions toward more precontemplative smokers and might integrate more social support based on Social Network Theory . For example, a social‐network, family‐focused intervention leverages relationships across pairs recruited for group sessions to take actions based on the smokers' readiness to change …”

Social Network Characteristics, Social Support, and Cigarette Smoking among Asian/Pacific Islander Young Adults

“…Census Bureau, 2012), while Filipinos have been one of the five largest groups of people immigrating into the U.S. every year since 1990 (Migration Policy Institute, 2010). Several previous studies have contended that culturally relevant smoking prevention and cessation interventions designed for A/PI should utilize strategies based on social network and social support theories (Burgess et al, 2014; Kim et al, 2015; Romero & Pulvers, 2013; Tsoh et al, 2015). …”

Social Environmental Influences on Smoking and Cessation: Qualitative Perspectives Among Chinese-Speaking Smokers and Nonsmokers in California

“…In Hong Kong, a brief education intervention to mothers of sick children had a short-term effect in helping smoking fathers quit or reduce daily cigarette consumption (34). Initial acceptability and feasibility for a social network family-focused intervention has been demonstrated for Chinese and Vietnamese American male smokers in a recent study (35). Perception of a family norm toward cessation explained the effectiveness of a culturally tailored smoking cessation intervention for Korean American immigrant smokers that included coaching for family members on assisting smokers (36).…”