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Tobacco product use rates among Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander (NHPI), Asian American, and Filipino American young adults in Hawai'i have risen rapidly in recent years following the introduction of electronic nicotine delivery systems. Though some research has examined tobacco use correlates for these demographics of young adults, research examining protective factors, such as cultural connectedness, is lacking. Additionally, research that disaggregates Asian Americans from Pacific Islanders is scarce, despite the differing risk and protective factors that have been determined for each group. This study separately examined cultural connectedness among NHPIs, Asian Americans, and Filipino Americans to help fill the gaps in the current tobacco product literature. The findings indicated that Asian Americans and Filipino Americans who identify more with their own cultures are less likely to use e-cigarettes; however, this relationship was not supported for NHPIs. No significant evidence was found to indicate a relationship between cultural connectedness and combustible cigarette use among any of the sampled groups. The lack of relationship between cultural connectedness and e-cigarette use among Native Hawaiians may be explained by measurement limitations in the study, and suggest the need for more culturally competent scales (e.g., an enculturation scale) that account for Indigenous status.

Background: Recent Latino immigrants (RLIs) to the U.S. have shown high smoking rates during their first year since arrival, raising concern about future escalation of tobacco use. Objective: To examine trajectories of cigarette and Electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS) use among RLIs from pre-immigration (T0) through their first (T1) and second (T2) year in the U.S. Methods: Data originated from a longitudinal study of 540 (50% females) RLIs aged 18-34. Inclusion criteria was residing in Miami/Dade County (MDC), and having immigrated from a Latin American country within the past year. Trajectories were identified by using the Proc Traj procedure (SAS©, v 9.4). Results: Rates of cigarette use per month declined from 11.8 days/month in T0 to 4.9 d/m in T2. Rates for ENDS use however, increased from T0 (1.1 d/m) to T1 (1.8 d/m) and then lowered back to 0.9 d/m in T2. Four separate cigarette and e-cigarette use trajectories were identified. Only one of them showed increase in cigarette (10.6% of RLIs), and ENDS use (4.5% of RLIs). Being male, and not completing high school were significant factors in explaining smoking trajectories. Being younger than 30 years old was largely associated with ENDS use. No evidence of a substitution effect between cigarette and ENDS use was found. Discussion/Conclusions: Interventions to discourage tobacco use among Latino immigrants should begin early in the immigration process, aimed to preserve initial reductions and dissuade those at risk of increased tobacco use overtime.