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

Lisa M. Fucito, Krysten W. Bold, Sydney Cannon, Alison Serrantino, Rebecca Marrero and Stephanie S. O’Malley
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Lisa M. Fucito: Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06511, USA
Krysten W. Bold: Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06511, USA
Sydney Cannon: Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06511, USA
Alison Serrantino: Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06511, USA
Rebecca Marrero: Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06511, USA
Stephanie S. O’Malley: Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06511, USA

IJERPH, 2022, vol. 19, issue 14, 1-12

Abstract: 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.

Keywords: coronavirus pandemic; COVID-19; smoking; medical condition; comorbidity; age (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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