Exploring changes in cigar smoking patterns and motivations to quit cigars among black young adults in the time of COVID-19

Addictive Behaviors Reports

Aaron Broun¹  Aniruddh Ajith²  Sabrina L. Smiley²  Julia C. Chen-Sankey²  Danielle A. Duarte²  Bambi Jewett²  Mignonne C. Guy³  Erin L. Mead-Morse⁴  Kelvin Choi⁵ 

[1] Corresponding author at: 5E11, Building 3, 3 Center Drive, Bethesda, MD 20814, United States.;National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities, Division of Intramural Research, United States;University of Connecticut, School of Medicine, United States;University of Southern California, Keck School of Medicine, Department of Preventive Medicine, United States;;Virginia Commonwealth University, College of Humanities &

关键词: COVID-19;    Cigar smoking;    African American;    Health disparities;    Health equity;    In-depth interviews;   

DOI  :  

来源: DOAJ

【 摘 要 】

Introduction: The COVID-19 pandemic has disproportionately impacted the Black/African American communities in the U.S. The objective of this study is to understand the change in cigar smoking patterns and motivations to quit cigars during the COVID-19 pandemic among Black young adult cigar smokers. Methods: During May-June 2020, in-depth telephone interviews were conducted to investigate cigar (i.e., large cigars, cigarillos, filtered cigars, and blunts) smoking behaviors during the pandemic among self-identified, non-Hispanic Black/African American young adult cigar smokers (n = 40; ages 21–29). Interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim, and coded separately by three coders. Thematic analysis was used to assess thematic patterns arising from the interviews. Results: Most participants reported smoking cigarillos and blunts in higher frequency and quantity to cope with COVID-19-induced stress, anxiety, loneliness, and boredom due to economic losses and physical isolation. Some also reported contextual changes in cigarillo and blunt smoking, including smoking around the clock, smoking immediately after waking up, and smoking an entire cigarillo or blunt in one setting. Very few participants reported motivations to quit cigars during the pandemic. Perceiving higher risks of progressed COVID-19 outcomes did not prompt participants’ increased motivations for quitting cigars. Conclusions: Black young adults in this study increasingly smoked cigarillos and blunts during the COVID-19 pandemic, mainly attributed to daily life stressors. Participants did not have increased motivations for quitting cigars to reduce COVID-19-related risks. Promoting contextually appropriate healthy coping and cigar smoking cessation may minimize COVID-19-related health consequences of cigar smoking and reduce health disparities among Black young adults.

【 授权许可】

Unknown