Smoking rate for Hawaiians still high

By Robbie Dingeman
Advertiser Health Writer

Researchers concerned about anti-smoking messages not reaching people of Hawaiian ancestry have looked into why many Hawaiians smoke and why they have trouble quitting.

Dr. Healani Chang and other researchers began investigating smoking habits among 1,459 people living in the rural area of Kohala on the Big Island from 1997 to 2000 and found that one out of four Hawaiians were smokers.

Chang, who serves as program director of the Kohala health research project, presented a preliminary report on her findings in June at the American Heart Association's Asia Pacific Scientific Forum in Honolulu. Tomorrow's Honolulu American Heart Walk at Kapi'olani Park raises money to help support such research.

A state study based on 2002 statistics shows a higher rate of one in three Native Hawaiians smoking. Chang's community study found that 24.7 percent of Hawaiians in Kohala smoked at the time of the survey, but she said she was not surprised by the state figures.

Chang said other ethnic groups seem to be getting the word and are smoking less. She said numbers alone don't give the reasons why, so the research continues. "Is there a cultural factor that we're missing?" Chang asked.

So far, researchers are hearing a variety of reasons on why Hawaiians smoke: some with plantation backgrounds say the habit got passed down, some are cowboys whose "dads, brothers and uncles always smoked," while others say their cigarettes keep them company on long drives commuting to various jobs.

The next step in Chang's study will be to design a culturally relevant program to help Hawaiians quit smoking and to tailor the program to help others.

The state Health Department's latest Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance Survey showed a 33.8 percent rate for Native Hawaiians who smoke. The findings are based on a telephone survey of 6,000 adults who were asked health questions last year.

The survey showed an increase in the number of people smoking after years of decline. The rate rose from 18.5 percent in 1999 to 21 percent in 2002.

Reach Robbie Dingeman at rdingeman@honoluluadvertiser.com or 535-2429.