Korean American Men's Perceptions about Smoking-Related Symptomatology: Implications for Intervention

This study examines what midlife and older (age 45 to 74) Korean American men who are current or former cigarette smokers think cause symptoms or health problems that may be related to smoking cigarettes. The study also examines how those perceptions influence attitudes and behaviors regarding smoking cessation. Separate focus groups were conducted with seven current smokers and nine former smokers in the Korean language in a Korean American. Current smokers experienced few symptoms or health problems that they attribute to smoking, and they generally do not regard smoking as a cause of symptoms or health problems. Former smokers generally quit smoking in response to experiencing a wide range of symptoms or health problems that they attribute to smoking or that they believe smoking exacerbates. A pervasive theme among both groups is that health is a function of a person's physical constitution. The perception is that those born with a strong or special physical constitution are able to smoke and be healthy; persons with a weak physical constitution or who are predisposed to be ill should not smoke or should quit smoking. Smoking-cessation interventions for midlife and older Korean American men should take these findings into account.