IMMIGRANT STATUS AND SMOKING

摘要: We feel that Baluja and her coauthors1 missed an opportunity to address a paradox. Rates of smoking among male Chinese American youths are remarkably low,2 yet rates males living in China said exceed 60%.3 associates reported the prevalence rate for immigrant be around 13%, which was well below corresponding US 24%.1 From these results, we infer selection pressures involved immigration United States favor who do not smoke. Indeed, immigrants generally exhibit healthier lifestyle practices experience lower mortality than demographically similar natives.4 We also authors could have been more proactive warning readers about 2 additional limitations their data. First, no questions were asked tobacco products rarely used by Americans but commonly overseas, such as bidis or paan. The low from India compared with other Asian countries might lead naive reader assume overall use Indians low. Such inference may incorrect. Recent worldwide comparisons suggested Indian women had highest world incidence oral cancer, attributable habit chewing betel nut mixed tobacco.5 Babu estimated 90% cancers tobacco-related.6 In fact, estimates 20007 most important cause cancer death no. non–reproductive organ females. Comparisons between just 1 product hence suggest misleadingly some emigrants. A second limitation data implicit assumption “country origin” highly sensitive way capture national origin. quotas compelled many would-be sojourn Canada, Mexico, Europe before migrating States. Historic diasporas, emigration nationals British commonwealth countries, contributed 2-step migrations It is likely, then, origin counted results because they listed country recent