Anxiety sensitivity and reasons for smoking among Black smokers

Lorra Garey; Amy R Senger; Tanya Smit; Pamella Nizio; Cameron T Matoska; Brooke Kauffman; Michael S Businelle; Matthew W Gallagher; Michael J Zvolensky

doi:10.1016/j.addbeh.2022.107593

Anxiety sensitivity and reasons for smoking among Black smokers

Addict Behav. 2023 Apr:139:107593. doi: 10.1016/j.addbeh.2022.107593. Epub 2022 Dec 17.

Authors

Lorra Garey¹, Amy R Senger², Tanya Smit³, Pamella Nizio⁴, Cameron T Matoska⁵, Brooke Kauffman⁶, Michael S Businelle⁷, Matthew W Gallagher⁸, Michael J Zvolensky⁹

Affiliations

¹ Department of Psychology, University of Houston, Houston, TX, USA; HEALTH Institute, University of Houston, Houston, TX, USA. Electronic address: llgarey@uh.edu.
² Department of Psychology, University of Houston, Houston, TX, USA; Texas Institute for Measurement, Evaluation, and Statistics University of Houston, Houston, TX USA. Electronic address: asenger@uh.edu.
³ Department of Psychology, University of Houston, Houston, TX, USA. Electronic address: tsmit@Central.UH.EDU.
⁴ Department of Psychology, University of Houston, Houston, TX, USA. Electronic address: niziopam@gmail.com.
⁵ Department of Psychology, University of Houston, Houston, TX, USA.
⁶ Department of Psychology, University of Houston, Houston, TX, USA. Electronic address: bkauffma@central.uh.edu.
⁷ HEALTH Institute, University of Houston, Houston, TX, USA; Department of Family and Preventive Medicine, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK, USA; TSET Health Promotion Research Center, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK, USA. Electronic address: Michael-Businelle@ouhsc.edu.
⁸ Department of Psychology, University of Houston, Houston, TX, USA; Texas Institute for Measurement, Evaluation, and Statistics University of Houston, Houston, TX USA; HEALTH Institute, University of Houston, Houston, TX, USA. Electronic address: Matthew.Gallagher@times.uh.edu.
⁹ Department of Psychology, University of Houston, Houston, TX, USA; HEALTH Institute, University of Houston, Houston, TX, USA; Department of Behavioral Science, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, US. Electronic address: mjzvolen@Central.UH.EDU.

Abstract

Black smokers demonstrate higher nicotine dependence and experience higher rates of smoking-related diseases and mortality relative to European American/White smokers. A potential factor relevant to race-specific smoking health disparities may be smoking motives (i.e., motivational basis of smoking). Yet, little research has been conducted to understand psychological factors that may be associated with specific smoking motives among Black smokers. To address this gap in the literature, the current study explored the association between anxiety sensitivity and smoking motives within a subset sample of Black smokers who were interested in participating in a smoking cessation trial (N = 105; 70.5 % male; M_age = 44.8 years, SD = 11.6 years). Hierarchical regression analyses indicated anxiety sensitivity was associated with smoking motives related to habit (β = 0.39, p <.001), negative affect reduction (β = 0.32, p <.001), stimulation (β = 0.31, p <.001), and sensorimotor manipulation (β = 0.26, p =.008). Limited support was found for the effect of motives on past quit attempt engagement. These results may broaden understanding of the psychological mechanisms related to smoking motivation among Black smokers and may inform future intervention efforts to reduce smoking motivation among this health disparities population.

Keywords: African American; Anxiety Sensitivity; Black; Smokers; Smoking Motives.

MeSH terms

Adult
Anxiety / psychology
Female
Humans
Male
Motivation
Smokers / psychology
Smoking / epidemiology
Smoking / psychology
Smoking Cessation* / psychology
Tobacco Use Disorder* / psychology

Abstract

MeSH terms

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