Work

E-Cigarette Use among Sexual Minoritized Women and Nonbinary People Assigned Female at Birth: Assessing the Roles of Discrimination, Perceived Stress, and Social Support

Year: 2023

Type: article

Abstract: Background: Young adult sexual minoritized women (SMW) are at disproportionate risk for e-cigarette use, which may in part be due to excess minority stress imposed by discrimination exposure. While discrimination exposure is associated with risk for combustible tobacco/nicotine use among SMW, similar associations have yet to be tested with e-cigarettes. Moreover, it is unknown if discrimination-related risk may be mitigated by protective factors such as social support. This study examined concurrent associations of discrimination, perceived stress, and social support with past 30-day e-cigarette use in a sample of young adult SMW during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: N = 501 SMW and nonbinary people assigned female at birth (AFAB) aged 18–30 completed an online survey. A series of logistic regressions examined associations of discrimination, perceived stress, and four forms of social support received during the COVID-19 pandemic with past-30-day e-cigarette use. Results: Among SMW, greater perceived stress (OR = 1.10, p = .03), but not discrimination exposure, was associated with e-cigarette use. Associations of discrimination with e-cigarette use were nonsignificant when most forms of social support (emotional, material/financial, and virtual) were accounted for. Associations of perceived stress with e-cigarette use were strongest among those who needed but did not receive material support. Conclusions: Perceived stress, but not discrimination exposure, was associated with risk for e-cigarette use among young SMW during the COVID-19 pandemic. Effects of nonspecific stress may be compounded by insufficient material/financial support.

Source: Substance Use & Misuse

DOI: 10.1080/10826084.2023.2212056

Authors: Amelia V. Wedel, Joanne G. Patterson, Donghee N. Lee, Elise M. Stevens, Theodore L. Wagener, Brittney Keller-Hamilton

Institutions: Syracuse University, The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center – Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital and Richard J. Solove Research Institute, The Ohio State University, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School

Language: English

Topic: Smoking Behavior and Cessation

Subfield: Physiology

Field: Medicine

Domain: Health Sciences

SDGs: Good health and well-being, Reduced inequalities

Open Access status: green

Funders: Ohio State University, National Institutes of Health, National Institute on Drug Abuse, National Cancer Institute