Perceptions of COVID-related risks among people who smoke: A mediation model
The COVID-19 pandemic provides both reasons to quit smoking as well as stress that may promote increased cigarette consumption. Perceptions of COVID-19 risk related to smoking may motivate cessation among smokers. At the same time, other evidence shows that affective perceptions (i.e., worry) could...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Elsevier
2023-06-01
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| Series: | Preventive Medicine Reports |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2211335523000967 |
| _version_ | 1797827764965867520 |
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| author | Deanna M. Halliday Anna E. Epperson Mariaelena Gonzalez Anna V. Song |
| author_facet | Deanna M. Halliday Anna E. Epperson Mariaelena Gonzalez Anna V. Song |
| author_sort | Deanna M. Halliday |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The COVID-19 pandemic provides both reasons to quit smoking as well as stress that may promote increased cigarette consumption. Perceptions of COVID-19 risk related to smoking may motivate cessation among smokers. At the same time, other evidence shows that affective perceptions (i.e., worry) could lead to increased smoking as a coping mechanism. Using a sample drawn from a rural region of California (N = 295), we examined the relationship between perceptions about health risks for smokers during the pandemic and both reported increases in smoking frequency and intentions to quit smoking. We also examined whether worry about health risks mediated these relationships. High perceived risk was associated both with reported increases in smoking frequency as well as greater intentions to quit smoking. Worry partially mediated both these relationships, with worry accounting for 29.11% of the variance in the relationship between high risk perceptions and increased smoking as well as 20.17% of the relationship between risk perceptions and intentions to quit smoking. These findings suggest that while smokers’ awareness about their increased risk of COVID-19 can motivate intent to quit smoking in the future, smokers may require greater support to act on these intentions. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-09T12:53:36Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-4075fcb315a046f19a11cc0c9212d545 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2211-3355 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-09T12:53:36Z |
| publishDate | 2023-06-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Preventive Medicine Reports |
| spelling | doaj.art-4075fcb315a046f19a11cc0c9212d5452023-05-14T04:28:42ZengElsevierPreventive Medicine Reports2211-33552023-06-0133102205Perceptions of COVID-related risks among people who smoke: A mediation modelDeanna M. Halliday0Anna E. Epperson1Mariaelena Gonzalez2Anna V. Song3Department of Psychological Sciences, University of California, Merced, United States; Nicotine and Cannabis Policy Center, University of California, Merced, United States; Corresponding author at: Department of Psychological Sciences, University of California, Merced, United States.Department of Psychological Sciences, University of California, Merced, United States; Nicotine and Cannabis Policy Center, University of California, Merced, United StatesNicotine and Cannabis Policy Center, University of California, Merced, United States; Department of Public Health, University of California, Merced, United StatesDepartment of Psychological Sciences, University of California, Merced, United States; Nicotine and Cannabis Policy Center, University of California, Merced, United StatesThe COVID-19 pandemic provides both reasons to quit smoking as well as stress that may promote increased cigarette consumption. Perceptions of COVID-19 risk related to smoking may motivate cessation among smokers. At the same time, other evidence shows that affective perceptions (i.e., worry) could lead to increased smoking as a coping mechanism. Using a sample drawn from a rural region of California (N = 295), we examined the relationship between perceptions about health risks for smokers during the pandemic and both reported increases in smoking frequency and intentions to quit smoking. We also examined whether worry about health risks mediated these relationships. High perceived risk was associated both with reported increases in smoking frequency as well as greater intentions to quit smoking. Worry partially mediated both these relationships, with worry accounting for 29.11% of the variance in the relationship between high risk perceptions and increased smoking as well as 20.17% of the relationship between risk perceptions and intentions to quit smoking. These findings suggest that while smokers’ awareness about their increased risk of COVID-19 can motivate intent to quit smoking in the future, smokers may require greater support to act on these intentions.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2211335523000967SmokingTobaccoRisk PerceptionsCOVID-19Worry |
| spellingShingle | Deanna M. Halliday Anna E. Epperson Mariaelena Gonzalez Anna V. Song Perceptions of COVID-related risks among people who smoke: A mediation model Preventive Medicine Reports Smoking Tobacco Risk Perceptions COVID-19 Worry |
| title | Perceptions of COVID-related risks among people who smoke: A mediation model |
| title_full | Perceptions of COVID-related risks among people who smoke: A mediation model |
| title_fullStr | Perceptions of COVID-related risks among people who smoke: A mediation model |
| title_full_unstemmed | Perceptions of COVID-related risks among people who smoke: A mediation model |
| title_short | Perceptions of COVID-related risks among people who smoke: A mediation model |
| title_sort | perceptions of covid related risks among people who smoke a mediation model |
| topic | Smoking Tobacco Risk Perceptions COVID-19 Worry |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2211335523000967 |
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