Tobacco Research

Center for Asian Health has made substantial contributions to knowledge about tobacco use and its prevention and cessation in Asian Americans. The scientific core of tobacco research has been the hallmark of Center research since its establishment in 2000. Additionally, Center research has had a salutary effect on several Asian communities residing in the Eastern Region of the U.S., demonstrating the feasibility of reversing tobacco use trends among chronic smokers, and preventing initiation of smoking among the young through the application of competent, culturally appropriate and scientifically proven strategies.

Research in this area focuses on adolescents, adults and environmental smoke. It is designed to explore a variety of prevention and intervention strategies in diverse Asian cultural and ethnic groups. In its effort to understand tobacco behavior and the 'culture of tobacco', the Center has elicited the support and collaboration of Mainland China's foremost Schools of Public Health and has conducted cooperative research with their scientists. China is the largest producer of tobacco products in the world and represents the largest consumer of these products. The policy implications of this collaborative effort are far reaching.

To date, Center research has included a wide-ranging effort in several Asian communities (Korean, Chinese, Vietnamese, Cambodians and other underserved Asian populations, especially low-income workers) that included baseline epidemiologic studies, Asian youth smoking intervention and cessation, adult-focused prevention and interventions strategies that combine clinical, motivational, and pharmacological approaches, secondhand smoke prevention for families and communities, and the use of drama and mHealth technology to deliver health messages to large multi-age audiences.