Perceived Health: A Test of Incremental Validity in Relation to Smoking Outcome Expectancies, Motivation to Smoke and Desire to Quit Smoking

Gender specific differences in the pros and cons of smoking among current smokers in Eastern Kentucky: implications for future smoking cessation interventions

This study investigated gender differences in the perceived "pros" and "cons" of smoking using the constructs of decisional balance (DB) and stage of change from the Transtheoretical Model. The population distribution for stage of change among a population-based, cross-sectional survey of 155 current smokers over 40 years was: precontemplation (22.6%), contemplation (41.9%), preparation (35.5%). Results of stepwise regression models indicated significant gender differences in DB were in the preparation stage of change; scores on the DB measure increased 3.94 points (95% CI: 1.94, 5.93) for male smokers. Interventions targeting the "pros" and "cons" of smoking may need to be gender specific.

The effects of warning smokers on perceived risk, worry, and motivation to quit

BACKGROUND

Research concerning motives for smoking cessation has focused on beliefs (cognitions) that people have, especially risk perceptions, with less attention directed to worry (negative affect) concerning one's smoking.

PURPOSE

We tested a manipulation to encourage smokers to think and worry more about their smoking behavior. We contrasted risk perceptions and worry as predictors of contemplation to quit smoking.

METHODS

Smokers were randomly assigned to two conditions in which they carried personal digital assistants for 2 weeks. When signaled, smokers read smoking consequence statements or daily hassle statements.

RESULTS

After 2 weeks, experimental smokers reported greater perceived risk and worry about developing a medical condition compared to control smokers. Both perceived risk and worry independently mediated the relationship between the experimental manipulation and increased contemplation to quit smoking; however, worry was the strongest mediator in a multiple mediation model.

CONCLUSION

Worry may be foremost for motivating smokers to attempt quitting.

The moderating role of health fear on the relation between smoking status and panic symptoms among adolescents

The present study examined the moderating role of health fear on the concurrent relation between smoking status and panic attack symptoms among 249 adolescents (132 females, M(age)=14.86 years). As hypothesized, youth high in health fear reported elevations in panic attack symptoms, whereas this relation was relatively weak among those low in health fear. Importantly, these associations were significant after controlling for age, gender, negative affectivity, and anxiety sensitivity. Also as expected, health fear did not moderate the association between smoking status and depressive symptoms, supporting model specificity. Results are discussed in terms of implications for the panic-smoking association among youth.

Concurrent associations between anxiety sensitivity and perceived health and health disability among young adult daily smokers

The aim of this investigation was to evaluate the incremental validity of anxiety sensitivity (fear of arousal-related physical and psychological sensations) relative to health factors (smoking variables, alcohol use and exercise level), in predicting perceived health and disability among a sample of 225 young adult daily smokers (102 females; M(age) = 23.9 years, SD = 8.8). Consistent with prediction, anxiety sensitivity, relative to smoking-relevant variables, alcohol consumption (a single frequency by quantity composite) and exercise activity, predicted lower perceived general health and impairments in mental health and social functioning; no incremental effects were evident for anxiety sensitivity for predicting impairments in physical functioning, role functioning, or increased healthcare usage. These findings are discussed with respect to better understanding cognitive factors that affect perceptions of health status and functioning among daily smokers.

Mental disorders and nicotine dependence among pregnant women in the United States

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the association between mental disorders and cigarette use and nicotine dependence among pregnant women in the United States.

METHODS

A face-to-face general population survey was conducted on participants in the 2001-2002 National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions. One thousand five hundred sixteen women reporting a pregnancy in the past year were captured. Primary outcomes were seven Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition-defined mood and anxiety disorders and eight personality disorders, which were measured with the Alcohol Use Disorder and Associated Disabilities Interview Schedule.

RESULTS

Among pregnant women, 21.7% reported cigarette use and 12.4% met the criteria for nicotine dependence. Among pregnant women with cigarette use, 45.1% met criteria for at least one mental disorder, and among those with nicotine dependence, 57.5% met criteria for at least one other mental disorder. After adjusting for demographics and comorbidity, nicotine dependence during pregnancy significantly predicted any mental disorder (odds ratio [OR] 3.3, 95% confidence interval [CI] 2.1-5.1), any mood disorder (OR 2.5, 95% CI 1.5-4.0), major depression (OR 2.07, 95% CI 1.3-3.4), dysthymia (OR 6.2, 95% CI 2.9-13.1), and panic disorder (OR 3.1, 95% CI 1.6-6.1) in the past year. No significant associations were found between nondependent cigarette use and mental disorders.

CONCLUSION

Our results suggest an association between mental disorders and nicotine dependence among pregnant women in the United States. This association has far-reaching implications for both the mental and physical health of women and potentially for their children.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

III.

Smoking motives in the prediction of affective vulnerability among young adult daily smokers

The primary aim of this study was to examine whether smoking to reduce negative affect was uniquely related to a range of affective vulnerability factors (e.g., anxiety sensitivity, anxious arousal, and negative affectivity) among daily smokers. Participants were 276 young adult daily smokers (124 females; M(age)=25.12, SD=10.37). Partially consistent with prediction, the motivation to smoke to reduce negative affect was significantly related to anxiety sensitivity and negative affectivity, but not anxious arousal; the observed significant effects were above and beyond other theoretically relevant factors (e.g., smoking rate, years smoked, age, gender). In contrast to prediction, habitual smoking motives demonstrated significant incremental associations with anxiety sensitivity and anxious arousal symptoms. These results suggest that there are important associations between certain smoking motives and negative affective states and that such relations are not attributable to other smoking factors (e.g., smoking rate).