Clinimetric properties of the Smoking Abstinence Expectancies Questionnaire

Tobacco prevalence among adults in the urban slums of Delhi: results from a cross-sectional survey

Slum areas exhibited a marked prevalence of elevated tobacco consumption rates, prompting the investigation to assess the extent and perspectives of tobacco usage among the residents in these regions. The present study aimed to evaluate the prevalence and attitudes toward tobacco use within five distinct slum localities in close proximity to the tobacco cessation center. During a house-to-house visit, a cross-sectional survey was conducted in five different slum areas, coded as Zone 1 to Zone 5. To ensure a representative sample, 20% of households were randomly selected from each slum. The survey utilized a pre-designed, pretested, and semi-structured questionnaire to collect relevant data. A total of 274 households provided consent to participate in the survey. The variations in tobacco prevalence were observed across all five slums, ranging adult tobacco prevalence from 16.3% to 36.7%. Tobacco use prevalence differed significantly by gender, with 86.1% males and 13.9% females. Smokeless tobacco was the most preferred method of tobacco use. Notably, 43.8% of adult tobacco users expressed their willingness to quit tobacco usage, out of which 22.3% were female. A large proportion (70.4%) of total adult women tobacco users showed their willingness to quit, while the corresponding percentage for men was only 39.5%. This study highlights the high prevalence of tobacco use and the limited awareness of cessation services among users in nearby slums despite the proximity to cessation centers and mandatory tobacco cessation helpline numbers on tobacco packets. However, during the awareness session, individuals exhibited interest in quitting tobacco consumption.

How are illness representations of gambling disorder associated with gambling behaviors? A latent profile analysis

Gambling disorder (GD) is a behavioral addiction that causes serious harm to individuals' mental health and social functioning. This study aimed to explore whether gamblers' illness representations (IR) for GD are related to disordered and/or controlled patterns of gambling under the framework of commonsense model of self-regulation (CSM). Based on CSM, different facets of IR do not exist in isolation but together form a total illness schema; we hence used a person-centered analysis method, latent profile analysis (LPA), to classify gamblers by their overall IR for GD (including consequences, personal and treatment control, timeline cyclical, emotional representations, and coherence) into groups and then tested whether these groups differed in GD symptoms, controlled gambling behaviors, and help-seeking intention. An anonymous online survey was conducted on a social media platform, and valid responses from 589 past-year adult gamblers were collected. LPA results supported a four-profile model, revealing four profiles of GD representations: the weak-perception profile, average profile, tensed-up profile, and rational profile. Significant differences were found in all outcome variables in these four profile groups. In particular, the rational group exhibited the lowest levels of GD symptoms and impaired behavioral control, the highest levels of responsible and controlled gambling, and the highest levels of help-seeking intention, whereas the weak-perception group reported the lowest levels of responsible and controlled gambling behaviors. The findings provide empirical support for the application of CSM to addictive behaviors, as well as preliminary evidence for the potential use of CSM-based interventions for GD prevention.

Serum Metabolomics Analysis Revealed Metabolic Pathways Related to AECOPD Complicated with Anxiety and Depression

Background

Anxiety and depression are two of the most common comorbidities of COPD, which can directly lead to the number of acute exacerbations and hospitalizations of COPD patients and reduce their quality of life. At present, there are many studies on anxiety and depression in stable COPD, but few studies on anxiety and depression in acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (AECOPD) patients.

Objective

We aim to explore the changes of serum metabolomics in AECOPD complicated with anxiety and depression and to provide some clues for further understanding its pathogenesis.

Methods

This is an observational high-throughput experimental study based on retrospective data extraction. Twenty-one AECOPD with anxiety and depressive patients and 17 healthy controls (HCs) were retrospectively enrolled in the Second Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University. Hamilton anxiety scale (HAMA) and Hamilton depression scale (HAMD) for anxiety and depression were used to assess the patients with AECOPD. Untargeted metabolomics analysis was carried out to investigate different molecules in the serum of all participants. General information of all participants, baseline data and clinical measurement data of AECOPD patients were collected. Statistical analysis and bioinformatics analysis were performed to reveal different metabolites and perturbed metabolic pathways.

Results

A total of 724 metabolites in positive ionization mode and 555 metabolites in negative ionization mode were different in AECOPD patients with anxiety and depression. The 1,279 serum metabolites could be divided into 77 categories. Based on multivariate and univariate analysis, 74 metabolites were detected in positive ionization mode, and 60 metabolites were detected in negative ionization as differential metabolites. The 134 metabolites were enriched in 18 pathways, including biosynthesis of unsaturated fatty acids, aldosterone synthesis and secretion, protein digestion and absorption, ovarian steroidogenesis, long-term depression, retrograde endocannabinoid signaling, and so on.

Conclusion

This work highlights the key metabolites and metabolic pathways disturbed in AECOPD patients with anxiety and depression. These findings support the use of metabolomics to understand the pathogenic mechanisms involved in AECOPD patients with anxiety and depression.

Neighborhood Vigilance in Terms of Abstinence Expectancies for Smoking and Severity of Problems When Quitting

Background: Although social determinants of health (SDoH) have increasingly been understood as clinically important factors in the onset, maintenance, and relapse of substance use behavior, little research has evaluated neighborhood vigilance in terms of smoking. Objectives: The present investigation sought to evaluate the role of neighborhood vigilance in terms of smoking abstinence expectancies (i.e., perceived consequences of refraining from smoking, including negative mood, somatic symptoms, harmful consequences, and positive consequences) and severity of problems when trying to quit among adults who smoke. Results: Participants included 93 treatment-seeking people who smoke (45.2 years of age and 29% identified as female). Results: indicated that greater levels of neighborhood vigilance were associated with negative mood and harmful consequences abstinence expectancies. No effect was evident for somatic symptom abstinence expectancies after Bonferroni correction. Conclusions: As expected, neighborhood vigilance was not predictive of positive abstinence expectancies, offering explanatory specificity. Neighborhood vigilance was also associated with more severe problems when trying to quit smoking. The current findings suggest neighborhood vigilance represents an important contextual factor involved in certain negative beliefs about abstinence and challenges in quitting.

Effectiveness of smoking cessation on the high-risk population of lung cancer with early screening: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials until January 2022

BACKGROUND

Lung cancer has always been the malignant tumor with the highest incidence rate. Smoking is the most important risk factor for lung cancer. Although potential positive effects of smoking cessation interventions on the high-risk population of lung cancer have been observed, evidence of its definitive effect remains uncertain. This study aimed to summarize the evidence related to the effects and safety of smoking cessation interventions for the high-risk population of lung cancer.

METHODS

A systematic literature search was conducted through the following seven databases: PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, CENTRAL, CINAHL, PsycINFO, and Science Direct. Screening and assessment for risk of bias were conducted by two independent reviewers. Meta-analysis was performed for the 7-day-point prevalence of smoking abstinence and continuous smoking abstinence using RevMan 5.3 software.

RESULTS

Meta-analysis results show that in the 7-day-point prevalence of smoking abstinence (by patient-reported outcome): individualized intervention was significantly higher than that of the standard care [RR = 1.46, 95%CI = (1.04,2.06), P < 0.05]. Moreover, the smoking cessation interventions were significantly elevated than that of standard care [RR = 1.58, 95%CI = (1.12, 2.23), P < 0.05] within 1-6 month follow-up time. In line with the findings in cigarette smoking, the continuous smoking abstinence of E-cigarettes (biochemical verified): E-cigarettes were significantly higher than that of the standard care [RR = 1.51, 95%CI = (1.03, 2.21), P < 0.05], and within 1-6 month follow-up time, the smoking cessation interventions were significantly greater than that of standard care [RR = 1.51, 95%CI = (1.03, 2.21), P < 0.05]. Publication bias was detected possibly.

CONCLUSIONS

The results of this systematic review show that smoking cessation intervention is effective for long-term lung cancer high-risk smokers who participate in early screening, of which E-cigarettes are the best, followed by individual smoking cessation.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

A review protocol was developed and registered in the International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews (PROSPERO).

TRIAL REGISTRATION

CRD42019147151. Registered 23 June 2022.

Perceived racial/ethnic discrimination in relation to smoking abstinence expectancies among adult Latinx smokers in the United States

INTRODUCTION

Hispanic/Latinx (hereafter Latinx) individuals in the United States (US) face unique smoking-related health disparities, including limited access to care and health insurance for smoking treatment. Social determinants of health (SDoH) have received increased recognition in their role of smoking behavior and cessation. However, research on SDoH in Latinx smoking populations has been limited. Past research on non-Latinx white individuals has found smoking abstinence expectancies to be an integral cognitive process related to multiple aspects of smoking behavior, and its role has also been understudied in Latinx individuals. Perceived racial/ethnic discrimination is one SDoH, but its role in relation to abstinence expectancies among Latinx smokers has not been explored. Therefore, the present investigation sought to evaluate perceived racial/ethnic discrimination in terms of smoking abstinence expectancies among Latinx smokers living in the US.

METHODS

Participants included 338 English-speaking Latinx adult daily cigarette smokers (M_age = 35.5 years; SD = 8.65; age range 18-61; 37.3 % female) recruited nationally throughout the US using Qualtrics Panels.

RESULTS

Results supported statistically significant main effects for perceived racial/ethnic discrimination in relation to increased smoking abstinence expectancies of negative mood, somatic symptoms, harmful consequences, and positive consequences (p's < 0.001).

DISCUSSION

Overall, the results of the present investigation build from a limited body of work on perceived racial/ethnic discrimination and smoking and provide novel evidence of consistent and moderate incremental associations between perceived racial/ethnic discrimination and negative and positive smoking abstinence expectancies among Latinx smokers.

Latinx Individuals Who Smoke Daily with and without a Probable Anxiety Disorder: Differences in Smoking Behavior and Beliefs about Abstinence

There is a well-established relation between anxiety psychopathology and smoking in the general population. However, little work focuses on Latinx/Hispanic (hereafter Latinx) persons who smoke from this comorbidity perspective. The present investigation aimed to explore differences among English-speaking Latinx adults who live in the United States (US) and smoke cigarettes with and without a probable anxiety disorder in terms of cigarette dependence, perceived barriers for quitting, severity of problems when quitting, and smoking abstinence expectancies. The sample included 338 adult Latinx daily cigarette smokers (Mage = 35.53 years; SD = 8.65; age range 18-61; 37.3% female) who identified as Latinx and were recruited nationally throughout the US. Results indicated that among Latinx persons who smoke, those with a probable anxiety disorder (compared to those without) were more likely to demonstrate higher levels of cigarette dependence, severity of problems when trying to quit, perceived barriers for quitting, and negative abstinence expectancies after adjusting for key variables linked to smoking and anxiety (e.g., hazardous drinking, education). The current findings are the first to document probable anxiety disorder status as a clinically relevant factor for a wide range of smoking variables and beliefs about abstinence among Latinx persons who smoke.

Smoking Cessation Training and Treatment: Options for Cancer Centres

Patients who achieve smoking cessation following a cancer diagnosis can experience an improvement in treatment response and lower morbidity and mortality compared to individuals who continue to smoke. It is therefore imperative for publicly funded cancer centres to provide appropriate training and education for healthcare providers (HCP) and treatment options to support smoking cessation for their patients. However, system-, practitioner-, and patient-level barriers exist that hamper the integration of evidence-based cessation programs within publicly funded cancer centres. The integration of evidence-based smoking cessation counselling and pharmacotherapy into cancer care facilities could have a significant effect on smoking cessation and cancer treatment outcomes. The purpose of this paper is to describe the elements of a learning health system for smoking cessation, implemented and scaled up in community settings that can be adapted for ambulatory cancer clinics. The core elements include appropriate workflows enabled by technology, thereby improving both practitioner and patient experience and effectively removing practitioner-level barriers to program implementation. Integrating the smoking cessation elements of this program from primary care to cancer centres could improve smoking cessation outcomes in patients attending cancer clinics.