Objectives: We describe the prevalence and correlates of cigarette smoking in 2 American Indian tribal groups.
Methods: We performed multinomial logistic regression on epidemiological data from a population-based, cross-sectional study of Southwest and Northern Plains American Indians aged 15 to 54 years.
Results: We found that 19% of Southwest men, 10% of Southwest women, 49% of Northern Plains men, and 51% of Northern Plains women were current smokers. Male gender and younger age were associated with higher odds of smoking in the Southwest tribe, whereas current or former marriage and having spent less time on a reservation were associated with higher odds of smoking in the Northern Plains population. Alcohol consumption was strongly associated with higher odds of smoking in both groups.
Conclusions: Cigarette smoking is a major public health concern among American Indians. Because correlates and smoking patterns vary among different tribal groups, each group's unique characteristics should be considered when designing and implementing comprehensive, culturally appropriate interventions in American Indian communities.