FACTORS ASSOCIATED WITH NICOTINE DEPENDENCE AMONG AFRICAN-AMERICAN WOMEN CIGARETTE SMOKERS

Cigarette smoking contributes to disproportionate morbidity and mortal ity among African Americans. Purposes of the study were to describe sm oking behavior and test a model of nicotine dependence among African A merican women. Participants (n = 187) smoked a low rate of high nicoti ne mentholated cigarettes and had a mean salivary cotinine of 402 ng/m L. The proposed model predicted 48% of variance in nicotine dependence with smoking to cope, number of cigarettes/day, positive outcome expe ctancies about smoking, and interest in quitting, as significant contr ibutors. Suggested interventions include developing alternative coping skills, cognitive restructuring, and techniques focused on the precon templation stage of smoking cessation. (C) 1993 John Wiley & Sons, Inc .