Tobacco Prevention: A Top Priority

• Preventing youth from beginning tobacco use

• Helping people quit

• Reducing exposure to secondhand smoke

• Reducing tobacco use in high-risk groups

• Contact us

• Links to outside sites

• Map of this site

• Alternative file format information

Hispanics and Tobacco in Washington

Summary

Hispanic and Latino individuals of any race make up about 7.5 percent of the Washington population, and are located in both Eastern and Western Washington. In 2006-2008 the combined average smoking among Hispanics was about 13.2 percent, compared to the overall state average of about 16.3 percent for the same years.  Historically, smoking prevalence is lower among Spanish-speaking Hispanics. Recent data show that about 9.8 percent of Spanish speaking adults smoke cigarettes compared to 16.5 percent of English speaking adults.  Among Hispanic adults, smokeless tobacco prevalence (1.7%) appears to be less than the state as a whole (3.2%). Cigarette smoking and smokeless tobacco use among 10th grade Hispanic youth in 2008 was similar to the non-Hispanic white population. The percentage of Hispanic women smoking during pregnancy in 2007 was significantly lower (3.3%) than the state as a whole (10.1%). This has been consistent for the past several years.

Hispanics appear to be at lower risk for lung cancer, which is strongly associated with smoking.  Hispanics have a significantly lower incidence of lung and bronchus cancer (37.8 per 100,000 population in 2004-2006 combined) than Washington State (67.0 per 100,000 population) as a whole.*  Hispanics also have a significantly lower rate of trachea, lung and bronchus cancer mortality in comparison to the general population. For 2004-2006 combined, the trachea, lung and bronchus cancer mortality rate was 51.3 per 100,000 among the general population and 24.8 per 100,000 among the Hispanic population.

*Rate per 100,000 age-adjusted to U.S. population.

Challenges

Hispanics are diverse in acculturation – the extent to which they have assimilated to the mainstream culture of Washington State. Large numbers of migrant farm workers follow agricultural seasons across the state, and may not speak English or have access to healthcare and educational systems. These “less acculturated” groups may be more difficult to reach with health education messages and services.

Source: Census 2000, 2006-2008 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS), 2008 Healthy Youth Survey
(HYS), Washington State Birth Certificate data (2007), Washington State Death records (2004-2006), and the
Washington State Cancer Registry (WSCR, 2004-2006)

Future directions

The state Tobacco Prevention and Control Program (TPCP) is contracting with Washington Association of Community and Migrant Health Centers (WACMHC) to coordinate statewide activities within these communities.  WACMHC has hired a person to recruit and coordinate a community advisory board and the work of county-based Latino subcontractors and coalitions in six counties. WACMHC and its advisory board created a strategic plan for their communities and are seeking ways to partner with TPCP county, Educational Service District and other cross cultural contractors to reduce tobacco use in this community across the state.

DOH Home | Access Washington | Privacy Notice | Disclaimer/Copyright Information

Tobacco Prevention and Control Program
Washington State Department of Health
111 Israel Rd, PO BOX 47848
Olympia, WA 98504-7848

Last Update : 09/01/2009 09:39 AM
Send inquires about DOH and its programs to the Health Consumer Assistance Office
Comments or questions regarding this web site? Send mail to the Web coordinator.