Journal of Immigrant and Minority Health
Volume 14, Issue 3, 2012, Pages 413-419

Perceptions of personal risk about smoking and health among bosnian refugees living in the United States (Article)

Harris J.K.* , Karamehic-Muratovic A. , Herbers S.H. , Moreland-Russell S. , Cheskin R. , Lindberg K.A.
  • a George Warren Brown School of Social Work, Washington University in St. Louis, Campus Box 1196, One Brookings Drive, St. Louis, MO 63130, United States
  • b Department of Sociology and Criminal Justice, Saint Louis University, St. Louis, MO, United States
  • c George Warren Brown School of Social Work, Washington University in St. Louis, Campus Box 1196, One Brookings Drive, St. Louis, MO 63130, United States
  • d George Warren Brown School of Social Work, Washington University in St. Louis, Campus Box 1196, One Brookings Drive, St. Louis, MO 63130, United States
  • e George Warren Brown School of Social Work, Washington University in St. Louis, Campus Box 1196, One Brookings Drive, St. Louis, MO 63130, United States
  • f George Warren Brown School of Social Work, Washington University in St. Louis, Campus Box 1196, One Brookings Drive, St. Louis, MO 63130, United States

Abstract

More than 60% of Bosnian refugees in the United States may be current smokers. Examining health beliefs can provide insight into smoking behaviors in this community. Four hundred ninety-nine Bosnians were interviewed about health beliefs and personal health risks related to smoking. ANOVA was used to compare current, former, and never smokers. General health beliefs were significantly different by smoking status with medium effect sizes (P<.001; η 2 = 0.04-0.06); current smokers were less likely to agree that smokers live shorter lives and that smokers are more likely to get heart disease. Significant differences with large effect sizes (P<.001; η 2 = 0.11-0.29) were found in perception of personal risk of lung cancer and heart disease among current, former, and never smokers. Current smokers perceived their own health risks as less severe than those of other smokers. High smoking rates and smokers' optimism related to health indicate that culturally tailored educational and cessation interventions are needed for Bosnian refugee communities. © Springer Science+Business Media, LLC 2011.

Author Keywords

Health risk perception smoking Bosnian refugees

Index Keywords

Missouri perception Models, Psychological psychological model refugee psychological aspect Population Surveillance human Refugees middle aged statistics Bosnia and Herzegovina Aged Statistics as Topic ethnology United States Young Adult Bosnia-Herzegovina Humans smoking Adolescent male female Aged, 80 and over risk factor Risk Factors questionnaire Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice Article high risk behavior Risk-Taking Questionnaires adult Analysis of Variance attitude to health health survey
Link
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-84860839268&doi=10.1007%2fs10903-011-9511-4&partnerID=40&md5=c9a8cde6bd6c716f894335ad8ba3b192
DOI: 10.1007/s10903-011-9511-4
ISSN: 15571912
Cited by: 7
Original Language: English