Abstract A02: Tobacco and alcohol comorbidities among young adult Pacific Islanders
Authors: Palmer Paula , Tanjasiri Sora Park , May Vanessa Tui'one , Toilolo Tupou , Pang Victor Kaiwi , Vaivao Dorothy Etimani , Sabado Melanie , Tan Nasya , Pike James , Talavou Melevesi Fifita , Lutu Genesis , Xie Bin 
Published: October 2015

Pacific Islanders (PIs) in the United States have among the highest prevalence of cigarette smoking and alcohol use both of which contribute significantly to increased risk for cancer. Across racial/ethnic groups, late adolescents and young adults between the ages of 18 and 30 years are particularly vulnerable to tobacco and alcohol use. The community-based participatory research (CBPR) program “Weaving an Islander Network for Cancer Awareness, Research, and Training (WINCART)” consisting of community researchers from five NHPI-led community-based organizations (CBOs) and academic researchers are collaborating on the development, implementation, and evaluation of a culturally attuned smoking cessation intervention for young adult PIs entitled “Motivating Pasifika against Cigarettes and Tobacco (MPACT).” Findings from MPACT baseline data provide a description of tobacco and alcohol use patterns in a community sample of young adult PI cigarette smokers in Southern California. The sample of 200 comprised 103(51.5%) males, primarily U.S. born participants 167(84.4%), and individuals self-identifying mostly as either Samoan 106(53%) or Tongan 82(41%). Education level for the majority was completion of high school or GED 89(45.4%) or some college or trade school 77(39.3%). Just over half 113(56.5%) were employed and only 113(56.5%) reported having medical insurance coverage. Regarding general health status, 84(42.6%) of participants rated their health good-excellent, while 113(57.3%) reported their health as fair-poor. Most of the sample reported light to moderate cigarette smoking, 83(43.2%) reported concurrent 30-day E-cigarette or vaping use, and 154(78.2%) smoked menthol cigarettes. Most 127(65.8%) believed that E-cigarettes or vaping were less harmful than cigarettes. The majority of the sample, 153(81%) reported past month alcohol use, 132(69.5%) reported binge drinking on a least one day during that time, and 71(37.4%) reported past month binge drinking on 3 days or more. Utilizing the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression (CES-D) Scale, a screening test for depression and depressive disorder, 87(47%) of the sample, reported symptoms consistent with a clinical diagnosis. These findings indicate that our study sample comprised young adult PIs smokers with a high unemployment rate, low-moderate education level, high fair to poor self-reported health status, light to moderate cigarette use with high concurrent rates of E-cigarette or vaping use, high rates of alcohol use, in particular, binge drinking, and high rates of depressive symptoms. These findings indicate the need for health education, preventive health services, and further research regarding tobacco and alcohol use health disparities that increase cancer risk in this Pacific Islander population.

Citation Format: Paula Palmer, Sora Park Tanjasiri, Vanessa Tui'one May, Tupou Toilolo, Victor Kaiwi Pang, Dorothy Etimani Vaivao, Melanie Sabado, Nasya Tan, James Pike, Melevesi Fifita Talavou, Genesis Lutu, Bin Xie. Tobacco and alcohol comorbidities among young adult Pacific Islanders. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the Seventh AACR Conference on The Science of Health Disparities in Racial/Ethnic Minorities and the Medically Underserved; Nov 9-12, 2014; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2015;24(10 Suppl):Abstract nr A02.