http://academic.oup.com/abm en-us Mon, 04 Nov 2024 00:00:00 GMT Mon, 04 Nov 2024 08:47:26 GMT Silverchair https://academic.oup.com/abm/advance-article/doi/10.1093/abm/kaae071/7874892?rss=1 Mon, 04 Nov 2024 00:00:00 GMT <span class="paragraphSection">National Institutes of Health10.13039/100000002National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences10.13039/100006108R21TR003522</span> kaae071 10.1093/abm/kaae071 http://doi.org/10.1093/abm/kaae071 https://academic.oup.com/abm/advance-article/doi/10.1093/abm/kaae066/7852821?rss=1 Wed, 30 Oct 2024 00:00:00 GMT <span class="paragraphSection"><div class="boxTitle">Abstract</div><div class="boxTitle">Background</div>African American adults exhibit disproportionately high rates of tobacco-related diseases and associated death. Experiences with racial discrimination contribute to health disparities among African Americans, but more research is needed to understand associations between perceived discrimination and tobacco use as well as potential protective factors.<div class="boxTitle">Purpose</div>This study examined associations between perceived racial discrimination and cigarette smoking, as well as religion and spirituality as moderators of any associations.<div class="boxTitle">Methods</div>Cross-sectional data were drawn from the Jackson Heart Study, a study of cardiovascular disease risk factors among African American adults in Jackson, MS. Measures included perceived everyday discrimination and major life events discrimination that was attributed to race. Participants also reported religious attendance, prayer, spirituality, and whether they prayed in response to discriminatory experiences. Logistic regression models tested associations between perceived racial discrimination and cigarette smoking status, and interactions between religiosity/spirituality and discrimination in predicting smoking status.<div class="boxTitle">Results</div>A total of 2,972 participants were included in the analysis (62.7% female, mean age 55.1 years). Thirteen percent reported currently smoking cigarettes. Everyday racial discrimination was associated with a higher likelihood of current smoking (<span style="font-style:italic;">p</span> = .01). The association between lifetime racial discrimination and current smoking status was weaker for those who reported prayer as a reaction compared to those who did not report prayer as a reaction (adjusted odds ratio = 0.32, 95% confidence interval: 0.11 to 0.91) while adjusting for demographics and covariates.<div class="boxTitle">Conclusions</div>Stressful experiences with racial discrimination may create risks for health behaviors like smoking. However, prayer may act as a coping strategy to help buffer the effects of racial discrimination on smoking behavior.</span> kaae066 10.1093/abm/kaae066 http://doi.org/10.1093/abm/kaae066