e., those answering greater than 0), (b) intermittent or daily use (i.e., those answering selleck chemicals 3, 4, or 6), and (c) daily use (i.e., those answering 6). Additional Measures for Tobacco Users In addition to the above prevalence measures computed for all patients, several tobacco use items were examined for recent tobacco users only, that is, those ED patients who reported tobacco use in the past three months. A dichotomized measure of intermittent use (yes/no) was computed from the ASSIST frequency item and included those reporting using tobacco once or twice, monthly, or weekly during the past three months.

Four dichotomized individual ASSIST items assessing problems related to one��s tobacco use included (a) experienced urges or desire to use in the past three months (yes/no); (b) experienced health, social, or financial problems related to use during the past three months (yes/no); (c) whether or not a friend or relative ever expressed concern about their tobacco use (yes/no); and (d) whether or not the patient had ever tried and failed to control, cut down, or stop using tobacco (yes/no). One final tobacco measure for users was a Tobacco Use Severity Score, which was computed by adding the responses from several ASSIST items (Humeniuk, Henry-Edwards, Ali, Poznyak, & Monteiro, 2010). Severity scores could potentially range from 2 to 31, with scores in the 2�C18 range considered relatively lower risk for problems related to tobacco use, scores in the 19�C26 range considered at moderate risk of health and other problems related to use, and scores in the range of 27�C31 indicating high risk of tobacco dependence.

Demographic Characteristics In addition to tobacco measures, health interviewers collected patients�� demographic characteristics. Characteristics used in the present study included (a) gender; (b) age measured in the categories of 18�C20, 21�C24, 25�C34, 35�C44, 45�C54, 55�C54, and 65+ years; and (c) race/ethnicity (Hispanic/Latino, Black, or Non-Latino White). Patients reporting race/ethnicities other than these three were excluded from the analyses. Latino ED patients had the option of completing the screening interview in English or Spanish. General Statewide Population Smoking Prevalence As a comparison for the ED patient tobacco use data, general population tobacco use measures were obtained from the 2009 California Health Interview Survey (CHIS, 2011).

CHIS is a collaborative project of the UCLA Center for Health Policy Research, the California Department of Public Health, and the Public Health Institute and is the largest state health survey in the nation. CHIS 2009 surveys were conducted Cilengitide in multiple languages between September 2009 and April 2010 using random digit dialing, cell phone numbers, and a computer-assisted telephone interviewing system (more information about the CHIS methodology and capabilities can be found at http://www.chis.ucla.