​The authors tested the hypothesis that data from random digit-dial telephone surveys underestimate the prevalence of cigarette smoking among African-American adults. A novel, community-sampling method was used to obtain a statewide, random sample African-American/Black adults in California, surveyed door-to-door. This Black community sample was compared to the Blacks in the data from the 2007 California Health Interview Survey (CHIS).

Smoking prevalence was significantly higher among community (33 percent) than among telephone survey (19 percent) Blacks, even after controlling for sample differences in demographics. Telephone surveys underestimate smoking among African-Americans and probably underestimate other health risk behaviors as well. Alternative methods are needed to obtain accurate data on African-American health behaviors and on the magnitude of racial disparities in them.  

Publication Authors:

• Hope Landrine
• et al