Low-level smoking among Spanish-speaking Latino smokers: Relationships with demographics, tobacco dependence, withdrawal, and cessation

Abstract

reported the least craving in pre-to postcessation longitudinal analyses. Third, despite signifi cant differences on dependence and craving, low-level smoking was not associated with abstinence. Smoking level was not associated with demographic variables.Discussion: This is a preliminary step in understanding factors infl uencing tobacco dependence and smoking cessation among low-level Spanish-speaking Latino smokers, a subgroup with high prevalence in the Latino population. IntroductionAccording to 2005 data from the U.S. Bureau of the Census, Latinos now comprise over 14% of the nation's population and are the largest and fastest growing minority group in the United States ( Bernstein, 2006 ). Although the prevalence of smoking is lower among Latinos than the general population (15.2% vs. 20.8%), the adverse consequences of tobacco use on Latino health are severe ( Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC], 2007 ). For example, three of the four leading causes of death among Latinos are related to smoking (cancer, heart disease, and stroke), and lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer Abstract Introduction: Although recent research indicates that many Latino smokers are nondaily smokers or daily smokers who smoke at a low level ( ≤ 5 cigarettes/day), almost no research has investigated the characteristics of low-level smokers because such individuals are typically excluded from clinical trial research. Methods:The present study examined the associations of daily smoking level and demographics, tobacco dependence, withdrawal, and abstinence during a specifi c quit attempt among 280 Spanish-speaking Latino smokers (54% male) who participated in a clinical trial of a telephone counseling intervention. Daily smokers were classifi ed as low-level (1 -5 cigarettes/day; n = 81), light (6 -10 cigarettes/day; n = 99), or moderate/heavy smokers ( ≥ 11 cigarettes/day; n = 100). Data were collected prior to the quit attempt and at 5 and 12 weeks postquit. Results:Results yielded three key fi ndings. First, smoking level was positively associated with the total score and 12 of 13 subscale scores on a comprehensive, multidimensional measure of tobacco dependence. Low-level smokers consistently reported the least dependence, and moderate/heavy smokers reported the most dependence on tobacco. Second, low-level smokers

Smoking Behavior: A Cross-Sectional Study to Assess the Dimensionality of the Brief Wisconsin Inventory of Smoking Dependence Motives and Identify Different Typologies Among Young Daily Smokers

“…In several studies, the WISDM has demonstrated good psychometric properties, such as good internal consistency and concurrent, discriminant, and predictive validity. [10][11][12][13][14][15][16][17] Through an extensive psychometric analysis, Piper et al 15 noted the presence of two synthetic WISDM scales, namely primary dependence motives (PDM) and secondary dependence motives (SDM). PDM is composed of four scales (automaticity, craving, loss of control, and tolerance) and represents the core component of tobacco dependence, whereas SDM is composed of the nine remaining scales.…”

Differences between intermittent and light daily smokers in a population of U.S. military recruits

“…Fourth, light smokers often do not exhibit the same levels of tolerance and withdrawal as do heavier smokers ( Shiffman, Paty, Kassel, Gnys, & Zettler-Segal, 1994 ;Soresi, Catalano, Spatafora, Bonsignore, & Bellia, 2005 ), suggesting that physiological and behavioral factors that are targeted for intervention may need to be modifi ed for this group. Finally, although in a recent trial, low-level smoking was not associated with abstinence at follow-up ( Reitzel et al, 2009 ), one recent study targeting lighter smokers (defi ned as smoking 6 -15 cigarettes/day [cpd]) observed higher abstinence rates for those without a history of heavier smoking at the Week 12 follow-up ( Gariti et al, 2009 ), which suggests that interventions specifi cally targeting low-level smokers may increase effi cacy.…”

Daily and Nondaily Smoking Varies by Acculturation among English-Speaking, US Latino Men and Women

“…[15][16][17] Numerous studies have documented higher rates of nondaily (ie, smoking on only some days) or light smoking (ie, 10 or fewer cigarettes per day [CPD]) among Latinos compared with non-Latino Whites. 15,[18][19][20][21][22] Nondaily smoking is under-studied and undertreated, 22,23 despite its association with significant health risks, [24][25][26][27] making it an important target for study. Additionally, a nuanced analysis demonstrates that significant proportions of Latino smokliefs, and behaviors of one's heritage culture with those of a new culture.…”