Pain intensity and tobacco smoking among Latinx Spanish-speaking adult smokers

Publication date: Available online 24 January 2019

Source: Addictive Behaviors

Author(s): Michael J. Zvolensky, Jafar Bakhshaie, Justin M. Shepherd, Nubia A. Mayorga, Natalia Giraldo-Santiago, Natalia Peraza, Andrew H. Rogers, Joseph W. Ditre, Jodi Berger-Cardoso

Abstract

Some research suggests that pain intensity is greater among Latinx persons compared to non-Hispanic-Whites, and that the experience of more intense pain among this group is related to poorer mental health and impairment. Yet, the degree to which pain-smoking relations generalize to Latinx smokers is unknown. The present study tested whether past-month pain intensity among adult Latinx smokers was related to cigarette dependence, perceived barriers for quitting, and problems experienced during past quit attempts. Participants were 363 Spanish-speaking Latinx daily smokers (58.7% female, M_age = 33.3 years, SD = 9.81). Consistent with prediction, current pain intensity was significantly related to greater cigarette dependence, perceived barriers for quitting, and problems experienced during past quit attempts. These novel data provide preliminary evidence that individual differences in the intensity of experienced pain in the past month is related to a range of clinically-significant smoking variables among a large sample of Latinx smokers. The findings suggest that pain intensity may be important to Latinx smokers, a group that often showcases pain-related disparities compared to other racial/ethnic groups.

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