Evaluation of a culturally appropriate smoking cessation intervention for Latinos

Many believe that smoking cessation programmes for Latinos should be tailored to the values and beliefs of the culture. However, randomised studies of culturally appropriate smoking cessation interventions with Latinos are rare.

Latino smokers (n = 313) were randomised to an intervention condition or a comparison group. The intervention was a three month programme based on social cognitive constructs and delivered in the smoker's home by trained lay health advisors, or promotores. Comparison group participants were referred to the California Smoker's Helpline in Spanish. Predictors of abstinence among all participants also were examined.

About one week post-intervention, validated (carbon monoxide) past week abstinence rates were more than twice as high in the intervention group (20.5%) than in the comparison (8.7%) (p < or = 0.005). The pattern of results held for self reported abstinence, and after recoding dropouts to non-abstinence. The primary predictor of abstinence was number of cigarettes smoked per day at baseline, a common measure of addiction.

The culturally appropriate intervention facilitated abstinence in Latino smokers, at least in the short term. Strengths and weaknesses of the study are discussed.