Lifetime Depression, Other Mental Illness, and Smoking Cessation.

Objectives In this study, we attempt to elucidate the relationship between lifetime mental illness (LMI), particularly a depression diagnosis, and smoking cessation. Methods Data were drawn from a previous study and include LMI, demographics, mood, and smoking cessation outcomes. We evaluated the relationship between multiple LMIs and smoking cessation at 7 months post-intervention, and depression in combination with another LMI. Results At 7 months, the adjusted odds of cessation for those with one LMI, including depression, were 0.74 (p = .102), and for those with 2+ LMIs, 0.69 (p = .037), both in comparison with participants who reported no history of LMI. Among those with 2+ LMIs, the adjusted odds of cessation for those with a depression diagnosis were 0.34 (p = .007) compared to those whose multiple LMIs did not include depression. Conclusions Among smokers seeking cessation treatment, those who had 2+ LMIs were at greater risk of relapse, an effect particularly marked in smokers with depression. This study adds to the literature examining the potential impact of LMI on smokers' ability to quit by considering the potential impact of 2+ LMIs and highlights the potential impact of depression as a risk factor for continued smoking.

Text to Quit China: An mHealth Smoking Cessation Trial.

PURPOSE: To assess the feasibility, acceptability, and efficacy of a text message-based smoking cessation intervention in China. DESIGN: Study design was a randomized control trial with a 6-month follow-up assessment of smoking status. SETTING: Zhejiang, Heilongjiang, and Shaanxi provinces in China provided the study setting. SUBJECTS: A total of 8000 adult smokers in China who used Nokia Life Tools and participated in phase 2 (smoking education via text message) of the study were included. INTERVENTION: The high-frequency text contact (HFTC) group received one to three messages daily containing smoking cessation advice, encouragement, and health education information. The low-frequency text contact (LFTC) group received one weekly message with smoking health effects information. MEASURES: Our primary outcome was smoking status at 0, 1, 3, and 6 months after intervention. Secondary outcomes include participant perceptions of the HFTC intervention, and factors associated with smoking cessation among HFTC participants. ANALYSIS: Descriptive and χ2 analyses were conducted to assess smoking status and acceptability. Factors associated with quitting were assessed using multiple logistic regression analyses. RESULTS: Quit rates were high in both the HFTC and LFTC groups (HFTC: 0 month, 27.9%; 1 month, 30.5%; 3 months, 26.7%; and 6 months, 27.7%; LFTC: 0 month, 26.7%; 1 month, 30.4%; 3 months, 28.1%; and 6 months, 27.7%), with no significant difference between the two groups in an intent-to-treat analysis. Attitudes toward the HFTC intervention were largely positive. CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest that a text message-based smoking cessation intervention can be successfully delivered in China and is acceptable to Chinese smokers, but further research is needed to assess the potential impact of this type of intervention.

Food insecurity, cigarette smoking, and acculturation among Latinos: data from NHANES 1999-2008.

Prevalence of food insecurity (FI) among Latinos in the United States is almost double the national average. To better understand FI among Latinos, potential risk factors beyond poverty, including acculturation indicators and smoking status, were explored. Cross-sectional data from 6,681 Latino adults from the 1999-2008 National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys were used. Partial proportional odds (PPO) models were used to estimate associations of FI, including cigarette smoking and acculturation. The PPO models indicated that compared with never smokers, current smokers had significantly higher odds of FI (odds ratios ranged from 1.32 to 1.51 across models). Lower levels of acculturation and poverty and being a younger or middle-aged adult were also significantly associated with FI. Among Latinos, current smoking and low acculturation are important risk factors for FI. Current smoking and low acculturation may exacerbate nutritional deprivation in a population that is already disproportionally affected by poverty and poor health outcomes.

Portrayal of smokeless tobacco in YouTube videos.

OBJECTIVES: Videos of smokeless tobacco (ST) on YouTube are abundant and easily accessible, yet no studies have examined the content of ST videos. This study assesses the overall portrayal, genre, and messages of ST YouTube videos. METHODS: In August 2010, researchers identified the top 20 search results on YouTube by "relevance" and "view count" for the following search terms: "ST," "chewing tobacco," "snus," and "Skoal." After eliminating videos that were not about ST (n = 26), non-English (n = 14), or duplicate (n = 42), a final sample of 78 unique videos was coded for overall portrayal, genre, and various content measures. RESULTS: Among the 78 unique videos, 15.4% were anti-ST, while 74.4% were pro-ST. Researchers were unable to determine the portrayal of ST in the remaining 10.3% of videos because they involved excessive or "sensationalized" use of the ST, which could be interpreted either positively or negatively, depending on the viewer. The most common ST genre was positive video diaries (or "vlogs"), which made up almost one third of the videos (29.5%), followed by promotional advertisements (20.5%) and anti-ST public service announcements (12.8%). While YouTube is intended for user-generated content, 23.1% of the videos were created by professional organizations. CONCLUSIONS: These results demonstrate that ST videos on YouTube are overwhelmingly pro-ST. More research is needed to determine who is viewing these ST YouTube videos and how they may affect people's knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors regarding ST use.