Abstract PR005: Preliminary findings from the North Carolina American Indian Adult Tobacco Survey
Authors: Denlinger-Apte Rachel , Akinyemiju Tomi , Bell Ronny , Chavis Laury , D’Agostino Ralph , Harwood Emily , Heck Courtney , Herndon Sally , Hicks Kayla , Hunt Charlene , Lowry Candace , McCraw Lu , Richardson Greg , Wheeler Stephanie , Willis Alana 
Published: September 2024

INTRODUCTION: Commercial tobacco use remains a leading contributor to the cancer burden in the United States and disproportionately affects historically marginalized communities including American Indian adults. National surveys estimate the current cigarette smoking prevalence for American Indian adults is 27%; however, state-level and tribe-specific data are limited. North Carolina is home to seven state-recognized tribes, one federally-recognized tribe, and four Urban Indian Organizations with ∼130,000 residents identifying as American Indian. We conducted a commercial tobacco use survey with and for tribal communities in NC to assess overall use among American Indian residents and by tribal affiliation. Here, we present preliminary findings for the North Carolina American Indian Adult Tobacco Survey (NCAIATS), a collaboration between the NC Commission of Indian Affairs, the NC Tobacco Prevention and Control Branch, and the Southeastern American Indian Cancer Health Equity Partnership. METHODS: We administered the NCAIATS as an online REDCap survey with recruitment occurring primarily by trusted tribal members during tribal community events (e.g., Pow Wows, culture classes). Data collection remains ongoing but results reported below are from July 2023-March 2024. Survey completion took 10-15 minutes and respondents could receive $25 for participation. The NCAIATS, adapted from the CDC’s American Indian Adult Tobacco Survey, assesses use of commercial products including cigarettes, cigars, e-cigarettes and smokeless tobacco as well as knowledge about tobacco-relevant cancer screenings (e.g., low dose computed tomography scans for lung cancer). RESULTS: N=2,096 American Indian adults living in NC completed the survey with representation from all NC tribes as well as 34 other North American tribes. The sample is 66.8% female with a mean age of 41.0 (SD=15.5) and 28.3% reported a bachelor’s degree or higher for educational attainment. When reporting ever use of commercial products (defined as either ‘even 1-2 puffs’ or ‘even 1 time’), 67.0% of respondents reported ever use of cigarettes, 38.5% reported ever use of cigars, 31.6% reported ever use of e-cigarettes and 19.8% reported ever use of smokeless tobacco. When reporting current use of commercial products (defined as ‘every day’ and ‘some days’), 28.1% reported current cigarette use, 13.7% reported current cigar use, 15.4% reported current e-cigarette use and 7.3% reported current smokeless tobacco use. Finally, only 45.3% of respondents, including 48.3% of current cigarette smokers, reported ever hearing of lung cancer screening. CONCLUSIONS: Commercial tobacco use is common among a broad representation of American Indian adults living in NC. Our preliminary results for current cigarette smoking rates align with national prevalence estimates, indicating critical need for additional prevention and cessation resources for this population. Further, more work is needed to inform American Indian residents of NC about the availability of lung cancer screening and the benefits of early detection.

Citation Format: Rachel Denlinger-Apte, Tomi Akinyemiju, Ronny Bell, Laury Chavis, Ralph D’Agostino Jr., Emily Harwood, Courtney Heck, Sally Herndon, Kayla Hicks, Charlene Hunt, Candace Lowry, Lu McCraw, Greg Richardson, Stephanie Wheeler, Alana Willis. Preliminary findings from the North Carolina American Indian Adult Tobacco Survey [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 17th AACR Conference on the Science of Cancer Health Disparities in Racial/Ethnic Minorities and the Medically Underserved; 2024 Sep 21-24; Los Angeles, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2024;33(9 Suppl):Abstract nr PR005.