Heterogeneity in past year cigarette smoking quit attempts among Latinos

Examine the association between English language proficiency (ELP) and immigrant generation and having made a cigarette smoking quit attempt in the past 12 months among Latinos. Examine if gender moderates the association between acculturation and quit attempts.

Latino past year smokers from the 2003 and 2006/07 Tobacco Use Supplement to the Current Population Survey were analyzed. Logistic regression was used to examine the association between quit attempt and ELP and immigrant generation, controlling for demographics and smoking characteristics.

Latinos with poor ELP were more likely to have made a quit attempt compared to those with good ELP (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 1.22, confidence interval [CI]: 1.02-1.46) after controlling for demographic and smoking characteristics. First (AOR = 1.21, CI: 1.02-1.43) and second generation immigrants (AOR = 1.36, CI: 1.12-1.64) were more likely than third generation immigrants to have made a quit attempt in the past 12 months.

Quit behaviors are shaped by differences in language ability and generational status among Latinos. This underscores the need to disaggregate Latinos beyond racial/ethnic categories to identify subgroup differences relevant for smoking and smoking cessation behaviors in this population.