Softening Among U.S. Smokers With Psychological Distress: More Quit Attempts and Lower Consumption as Smoking Drops.

ABSTRACT:

Introduction

It has been argued that as smoking prevalence declines, the remaining smokers represent a "hard core" who are unwilling or unable to quit, a process known as hardening. However, as recently shown, the general smoking population is softening not hardening (i.e., as prevalence falls, more quit attempts and lower consumption among continuing smokers). People with psychological distress smoke more, so they may represent hard-core smokers.

Methods

Using cross-sectional time series analysis, in 2016-2017 changes in quit attempts and cigarette consumption were evaluated over 19 years among smokers with serious psychological distress (Kessler-6 score ≥13) based on the National Health Interview Survey (1997-2015), controlling for sociodemographic variables.

Results

SUBMITTER: Kulik MC 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5696017 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature