Association between anxiety and smoking in a sample of urban black men.

Health Behavior Research Center, Department of Public Health, Temple University, 1701 N. 13th St (TuZIP 265-61), Philadelphia, PA 19122, USA. collinsb@temple.edu

BACKGROUND: Anxiety and smoking associations have been examined previously, but not in high risk populations of smokers, such as black males, who bear an excess burden of smoking-related illnesses. METHODS: This study assessed the relation between self-reported smoking status and anxiety using data collected by structured telephone interviews with a sample of 430 black, middle-aged males participating in an ongoing cancer prevention trial. RESULTS: There was a significant association between anxiety caseness and smoking (p = .006), with more probable cases among current smokers. A priori t-tests showed that current smokers had greater anxiety than former and nonsmokers (p's = 0.02). Among current smokers, greater anxiety was associated with heavier smoking (p = .008), an association not present among former smokers. DISCUSSION: This study could guide future experimental studies examining smoking-anxiety associations and inform intervention strategies addressing anxiety in underserved nicotine dependent populations with high tobacco-related risks.

PMID: 18607729 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

PMCID: PMC2610317 [Available on 2010/02/01]