F. Ahmed et al., RELIGIOUS PREDICTORS OF CIGARETTE-SMOKING - FINDINGS FOR AFRICAN-AMERICAN WOMEN OF CHILDBEARING AGE, Behavioral medicine, 20(1), 1994, pp. 34-43
Data from a community-based survey of 252 African American women 18 to
44 years of age were used to examine the relation between cigarette s
moking and two measures of religious involvement. Findings indicated t
hat cigarette smoking among African American women of childbearing age
is related to their denominational affiliation. Specifically, Penteco
stal women had significantly lower odds of being a current smoker and
higher odds of quitting smoking than did women who belonged to other r
eligious denominations. No significant association was found, however,
between smoking and the degree of religiosity. Older age and lower le
vel of education predicted current smoking, whereas having few daily h
assles was associated with quitting smoking.