Developing an Internet- and Mobile-Based System to Measure Cigarette Use Among Pacific Islanders: An Ecological...

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Health Behavior
• Digital Health

Background:

• Pacific Islanders in the U.S. exhibit significantly higher smoking rates than the general population.
• Factors influencing tobacco use in this demographic remain underexplored.
• Limited research has employed technology-based methods to assess these factors.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and evaluate a customized Internet-based Ecological Momentary Assessment (EMA) system for measuring cigarette use among Pacific Islanders in Southern California.
• To assess the feasibility of using mobile technology for data collection in this population.
• To identify intrapersonal, social, and ecological factors associated with tobacco use.

Main Methods:

• A 7-day EMA study involving 20 young adult Pacific Islander smokers in Southern California.
• Participants received text messages linking to mobile-optimized online surveys during selected time blocks.
• Automated reminders and community coaches were utilized to maximize survey completion.

Main Results:

• Achieved an 86% survey completion rate (720 out of 840 survey time blocks).
• Positive associations found between cigarette use and feeling happy or consuming alcohol while wanting a cigarette.
• Negative associations found between cigarette use and being at home or being around non-smokers.

Conclusions:

• Customized technology-based assessment systems are feasible for studying tobacco use in Pacific Islander populations.
• This approach can achieve high survey completion rates and yield valuable insights.
• Findings can inform future research and targeted interventions for smoking cessation.