ASPO Abstracts
Negative Affect and Utilization of Evidence-Based Tobacco Treatment among Adults with Cancer
Category: Behavioral Science & Health Communication
Conference Year: 2019
Abstract Body:
Continuing cigarette smoking increases health risks among cancer survivors, includingsecondary cancers and mortality, and decreases the effectiveness of cancer treatments. In the current study, weuse nationally-representative data from the Population Assessment of Tobacco and Health (PATH) Study toexamine the patterns of evidence-based tobacco treatment utilization among adults with cancer comparedwith non-cancer respondents. We also examine whether individual-level psychosocial factors influenceattempts to quit tobacco use and the likelihood for tobacco treatment utilization.Our analytic sample included current smokers and those who made a recent quit attempt (≤12 months). We conducted logistic regression models with cancer history as the main predictor for thefollowing outcomes: 1) made a recent quit attempt and 2) utilization of tobacco treatments. The tobaccotreatments included pharmacological (e.g., nicotine replacement therapy and prescribed medication) andbehavioral treatments (e.g., counseling and social support). We conducted path analysis with negative affect(e.g., depressive affect, anxiety, and distress) as a mediator for utilization of tobacco treatments. Among our analytic sample (n=12,487), adults with cancer were 1.34 times more likely tohave made a recent quit attempt, compared with adults without cancer (p=.012), after controlling fordemographic factors. However, among those who made a recent quit attempt (n=6,657), there was no association betweencancer history and use of any tobacco treatments (p=.073). Further, adults with cancer who were more likelyto have experienced negative affect (e.g., depressive affect, anxiety and distress) (B=.198, SE=.069, p=.004),in turn, were more likely to have used tobacco treatments (B=.147, SE=.026, p<.001). Among negative affectmeasures, only anxiety was associated with quit attempts (B=.107, SE=.046, p=.020), indicating thatadults with cancer who were more likely to have experienced anxiety, in turn, were more likely to make a quitattempt.These results underscore the need for tobacco treatment strategies tailored to cancer caresettings and to health communication strategies that consider emotional management.
Keywords: Tobacco Control,Health Communication,Behavioral Science