Cigarette Smoking in Response to COVID-19: Examining Co-Morbid Medical Conditions and Risk Perceptions.

During the initial wave of the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic in the U.S., information was mixed about the relative COVID-19 risks and potential benefits associated with cigarette smoking. Therefore, we sought to understand individual differences in the impact of COVID-19 on cigarette smoking in a sample of adults who reported recent use, with a particular focus on chronic medical conditions likely associated with increased COVID-19 risk. Participants completed an online survey of smoking behavior, demographic variables, medical history, and COVID-19 risk perceptions between July and August 2020 (N = 286). We examined whether medical conditions, COVID-19 risk perceptions and/or demographic characteristics were related to smoking changes in response to the pandemic (i.e., no change, decrease, increase) using multinomial logistical regression. Younger age, higher COVID-19 risk perceptions and Black versus White race were associated with greater odds of decreased smoking compared to no smoking change. Moreover, having at least one chronic medical condition was associated with greater odds of increased smoking relative to no change. The results have important implications for tobacco cessation treatment and preventive healthcare during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and other public health threats.

Characteristics of registered clinical trials evaluating the role of e-cigarettes in cessation or reduction of cigarette smoking

The public health effect of e-cigarettes is debated because of their uptake by youth and potential benefit for adults who smoke. Although e-cigarettes have been proposed as a less harmful substitute for cigarettes that could promote smoking cessation or reduction, a 2016 review concluded the published evidence is imprecise, is subject to study design biases, and that little is known about the effects of newer types P < .001), Latino adults had comparable odds of MDE persistence and severity, while Asian adults had similar odds of MDE persistence and lower odds of MDE severity (odds ratio, 0.5;95% CI, 0.4-0.7;P < .010). Our findings update prior research, raising concern about the continued disease burden experienced by Black adults. Greater experiences of discrimination, racism, and disparities in access to and quality of mental health treatment may partly explain our findings. These pathways are amenable to clinical and policy intervention that could buffer the links between mental illness, disability, and premature death. These considerations are especially salient as we continue to endure the COVID-19 pandemic, which has disproportionately affected minoritized racial and ethnic groups and elevated their need formental health treatment. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved)