TY - JOUR
T1 - Tobacco Use and Cessation Among a National Online Sample of Men Who Have Sex With Men in Malaysia
AU - Lim, Sin How
AU - Daghar, Lujain
AU - Bullen, Christopher
AU - Faiz, Hanisah Muhammad
AU - Akbar, Mohd
AU - Amer Nordin, Amer Siddiq
AU - Yee, Anne
N1 - Funding Information:
The author(s) disclosed receipt of the following financial support for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article: This study was funded by the World Bank and University of Malaya Research Grant (RP009A).
Publisher Copyright:
© 2020 APJPH.
PY - 2020/11
Y1 - 2020/11
N2 - Previous studies documented the health disparities in smoking among sexual minority populations, including men who have sex with men (MSM). However, smoking behaviors have never been examined among Malaysian MSM, a sexual minority group in a predominantly Muslim country. A total of 622 Malaysian MSM completed an anonymous online survey in 2017. Data on the demographics, smoking and substance use behaviors, psychosocial factors, and attitudes toward smoking cessation were collected and analyzed. The mean age was 28 years and 67% of participants were of Malay ethnicity. The prevalence of current smoking was 23% (n = 143), while former smokers were 9% (n = 59). Current smoking status was associated with HIV-positive status and risk behaviors, such as suicidality, alcohol use, and illicit drug use (P =.001). Almost two thirds of current smokers had attempted to quit in the past year. Hence, comprehensive smoking cessation interventions addressing the psychosocial needs of MSM should be prioritized.
AB - Previous studies documented the health disparities in smoking among sexual minority populations, including men who have sex with men (MSM). However, smoking behaviors have never been examined among Malaysian MSM, a sexual minority group in a predominantly Muslim country. A total of 622 Malaysian MSM completed an anonymous online survey in 2017. Data on the demographics, smoking and substance use behaviors, psychosocial factors, and attitudes toward smoking cessation were collected and analyzed. The mean age was 28 years and 67% of participants were of Malay ethnicity. The prevalence of current smoking was 23% (n = 143), while former smokers were 9% (n = 59). Current smoking status was associated with HIV-positive status and risk behaviors, such as suicidality, alcohol use, and illicit drug use (P =.001). Almost two thirds of current smokers had attempted to quit in the past year. Hence, comprehensive smoking cessation interventions addressing the psychosocial needs of MSM should be prioritized.
KW - drug abuse
KW - inequalities in health
KW - men’s health
KW - psychological/behavioral medicine
KW - smoking
KW - tobacco
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85093826412&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1177/1010539520965370
DO - 10.1177/1010539520965370
M3 - Article
C2 - 33084374
AN - SCOPUS:85093826412
SN - 1010-5395
VL - 32
SP - 414
EP - 417
JO - Asia Pacific Journal of Public Health
JF - Asia Pacific Journal of Public Health
IS - 8
ER -
