Development and Validation of a Scale to Assess Attitudes and Beliefs About Menthol Cigarettes Among African American Smokers

The present study describes the development and validation of the Masculine Attributes Questionnaire (MAQ). The purpose of this study was to develop a theoretically and empirically grounded measure of masculine attributes for sexual health research with African American young men. Consistent with Whitehead’s theory, the MAQ items were hypothesized to comprise two components representing reputation-based and respect-based attributes. The sample included 505 African American men aged 19 to 22 years ( M = 20.29, SD = 1.10) living in resource-poor communities in the rural South. Convergent and discriminant validity of the MAQ were assessed by examining the associations of masculinity attributes with psychosocial factors. Criterion validity was assessed by examining the extent to which the MAQ subscales predicted sexual risk behavior outcomes. Consistent with study hypotheses, the MAQ was composed of (a) reputation-based attributes oriented toward sexual prowess, toughness, and authority-defying behavior and (b) respect-based attributes oriented toward economic independence, socially approved levels of hard work and education, and committed romantic relationships. Reputation-based attributes were associated positively with street code and negatively related to academic orientation, vocational engagement, and self-regulation, whereas respect-based attributes were associated positively with academic and vocational orientations and self-regulation. Finally, reputation-based attributes predicted sexual risk behaviors including concurrent sexual partnerships, multiple sexual partners, marijuana use, and incarceration, net of the influence of respect-based attributes. The development of the MAQ provides a new measure that permits systematic quantitative investigation of the associations between African American men’s masculinity ideology and sexual risk behavior.

Download Full-text

Consequences of a match made in hell: the harm caused by menthol smoking to the African American population over 1980–2018

Tobacco Control ◽

10.1136/tobaccocontrol-2021-056748 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. tobaccocontrol-2021-056748 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

David Mendez ◽

Thuy T T Le

Keyword(s):

Public Health ◽

African American ◽

African Americans ◽

Smoking Initiation ◽

African American Community ◽

American Population ◽

The Public ◽

African American Population ◽

Menthol Cigarettes ◽

Life Years

BackgroundFor many years, national surveys have shown a consistently disproportionately high prevalence of menthol smokers among African Americans compared with the general population. However, to our knowledge, no prior study has quantified the harm that menthol smoking has caused on that population. In this work, we estimate the public health harm that menthol cigarettes have caused to the African American community over the last four decades.MethodsUsing National Health Interview Survey data, we employed a well-established simulation model to reproduce the observed smoking trajectory over 1980–2018 in the African American population. Then, we repeat the experiment, removing the effects of menthol on the smoking initiation and cessation rates over that period, obtaining a new hypothetical smoking trajectory. Finally, we compared both scenarios to calculate the public health harm attributable to menthol cigarettes over 1980–2018.ResultsOur results show that menthol cigarettes were responsible for 1.5 million new smokers, 157 000 smoking-related premature deaths and 1.5 million life-years lost among African Americans over 1980–2018. While African Americans constitute 12% of the total US population, these figures represent, respectively, a staggering 15%, 41% and 50% of the total menthol-related harm.DiscussionOur results show that menthol cigarettes disproportionally harmed African Americans significantly over the last 38 years and are responsible for exacerbating health disparities among that population. Removing menthol cigarettes from the market would benefit the overall US population but, particularly, the African American community.

Download Full-text

“Because There’s Just Something About That Menthol”: Exploring African American Smokers’ Perspectives on Menthol Smoking and Local Menthol Sales Restrictions

Nicotine & Tobacco Research ◽

10.1093/ntr/ntaa164 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Joanne D’Silva ◽

Erin O’Gara ◽

Craig S Fryer ◽

Raymond G Boyle

Keyword(s):

African American ◽

African Americans ◽

Local Governments ◽

Health Impact ◽

Policy Support ◽

Structured Interviews ◽

Quit Attempt ◽

Menthol Cigarettes ◽

Smoking Behaviors ◽

Almost All

Abstract Introduction Local governments are pursuing policies to limit the availability of menthol cigarettes at the point-of-sale. Although African Americans are disproportionately impacted by menthol cigarettes, little is known about African American smokers’ perspectives on emerging menthol policy. The purpose of this study was to fill a gap in the literature by exploring African American adult (25+) smoker perspectives on menthol and a local menthol sales restriction. Methods In-depth semi-structured interviews were conducted with African American smokers (n = 27) in the Minneapolis–St. Paul area June–September 2017. Interviews explored smoking behaviors, harm perceptions, perspectives of menthol in the community and reactions to local menthol sales restrictions. The framework method guided identification of key themes and synthesis of findings. Results Almost all (96%) participants smoked Newport cigarettes. The majority of participants indicated that menthol cigarettes were more harmful than non-menthol cigarettes, citing strength and additives and because they were targeted to African Americans. Some participants were receptive to policy change while others viewed the policy as inconvenient and unfair. Overall, there was a lack of understanding of the policy’s intended public health impact. Some participants indicated that the policy would have no impact on their purchasing or smoking behaviors while others who were contemplating quitting noted that a menthol restriction was encouragement to prompt a quit attempt. Conclusions Sales restrictions can provide a unique opportunity to persuade menthol smokers to quit. Efforts are needed to increase awareness and support of these policies as well as to support African American menthol smokers achieve cessation. Implications There is growing momentum to restrict local menthol tobacco sales; however, little is known about perceptions among populations most impacted. In Minneapolis–St. Paul, where menthol restrictions were passed in 2017, African American smokers expressed limited awareness and uneven policy support. While some participants were unconvinced the restriction would impact smoking, others indicated it would encourage decreased consumption and prompt quit attempts. There is a need for public education to increase awareness of menthol’s harms, to help menthol smokers quit, and to increase support for menthol policies.

Download Full-text

Differences in Nutrition Knowledge, Attitudes, and Beliefs Among Low-Income Hispanic and African American Women Caretakers

Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior ◽

10.1016/j.jneb.2011.03.037 ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 43 (4) ◽

pp. S10

Author(s):

Irene Acheampong ◽

Lauren Haldeman

Keyword(s):

African American ◽

African American Women ◽

Low Income ◽

Nutrition Knowledge ◽

Attitudes And Beliefs ◽

American Women

Download Full-text

The Reliability and Factor Structure of the Index of Spouse Abuse With African-American Women

Violence and Victims ◽

10.1891/0886-6708.9.3.259 ◽

1994 ◽

Vol 9 (3) ◽

pp. 259-274 ◽

Cited By ~ 84

Author(s):

Doris W. Campbell ◽

Jacquelyn Campbell ◽

Christine King ◽

Barbara Parker ◽

Josephine Ryan

Keyword(s):

Factor Analysis ◽

African American ◽

African American Women ◽

Instrument Development ◽

Factor Structure ◽

Spouse Abuse ◽

Reliability And Validity ◽

American Women ◽

Development And Validation ◽

Diverse Groups

This study investigated the reliability and validity of the Index of Spouse Abuse (ISA) when used with a sample of 504 African-American women. The initial factor validity analysis for the ISA (Hudson & McIntosh, 1981) resulted in two subscales: a physical abuse scale (ISA-P) and a nonphysical abuse scale (ISA-NP). Factor analysis with this sample of African-American women revealed three factors instead of two. Coefficient alpha estimates of reliability were over .90 for the original ISA subscales and with the African-American sample. The discussion compares and contrasts the factor structure observed with the sample of African-American women with the factor structure reported in the original validation studies. The study demonstrates the need to critically evaluate the extent to which instruments developed to measure spouse or partner abuse are valid and reliable when used with diverse groups that may not have been represented in the samples used for initial instrument development and validation work.

Download Full-text