Physical and Sociocultural Community-Level Influences on Cigar Smoking among Black Young Adults: An In-Depth Interview Investigation

Aaron Broun, Lilianna Phan, Danielle A. Duarte, Aniruddh Ajith, Bambi Jewett, Erin L. Mead-Morse, Kelvin Choi and Julia Chen-Sankey
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Aaron Broun: Milken Institute School of Public Health, George Washington University, Washington, DC 20052, USA
Lilianna Phan: Division of Intramural Research, National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities, Bethesda, MD 20814, USA
Danielle A. Duarte: Milken Institute School of Public Health, George Washington University, Washington, DC 20052, USA
Aniruddh Ajith: School of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15201, USA
Bambi Jewett: Division of Intramural Research, National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities, Bethesda, MD 20814, USA
Erin L. Mead-Morse: School of Medicine, University of Connecticut, Farmington, CT 06032, USA
Kelvin Choi: Division of Intramural Research, National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities, Bethesda, MD 20814, USA
Julia Chen-Sankey: Center for Tobacco Studies, Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences, New Brunswick, NJ 08901, USA

IJERPH, 2022, vol. 19, issue 8, 1-15

Abstract: Black young adults experience disparately high rates of cigar use and its health consequences. Little research has explored community-level influences on cigar smoking in this population, especially concerning product-specific influences and cigar smokers’ perceptions. We conducted in-depth interviews with 40 Black young adult (ages 21–29) cigar smokers in the Washington, D.C. area and analyzed themes regarding physical and sociocultural community-level factors perceived to influence cigar use. Themes were further analyzed based on participants’ predominant cigar products (cigarillos, large cigars, blunts). Participants reported easy access to affordable cigarillos, widespread cigarillo sales and targeted marketing, norms of cigar and blunt smoking for stress relief, socialization, and cultural participation, and ubiquitous cigar and blunt smoking cues, all of which promoted cigar use in their communities. Future research should further explore how community-level influences contribute to disproportionate cigar use among Black young adults. Our findings suggest that programs and policies addressing physical and sociocultural community-level pro-smoking influences may help mitigate cigar smoking disparities.

Keywords: cigar smoking; African American; community-level risk factors; health disparities; in-depth interviews; qualitative research (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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