The purpose of this study is to examine racial differences in smoking behaviors and stress responses between African American and white male smokers.
Cigarette smoking is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality from lung cancer among adults in the US. Stress relief and smoking cessation is the best preventive strategy for reducing lung cancer risk and addressing racial disparities in outcomes. Despite this, racial differences are found among those that make quit attempts. Stress has been found to be related to smoking initiation, maintenance, and relapse. Yet, differences in stress responses have not been examined between African American and white smokers. Therefore, this study will examine racial differences in stress responses and smoking behaviors between African American and white male smokers
Study Type
OBSERVATIONAL
Enrollment
95
University of Southern California
Los Angeles, California, United States
Medical University of South Carolina
Charleston, South Carolina, United States
Examining racial differences in acute stress responses
Examine racial differences in acute stress responses using a validated psychological stress challenge called the Trier Social Stress Test (TSST)
Time frame: Within 1 month following baseline
Examining changes in daily cortisol patterns according to race
Examine racial differences in daily diurnal cortisol slopes to evaluate hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal-axis dysregulation and acute stress
Time frame: Baseline, 4- and 8 weeks post Trier Social Stress Test laboratory visit
Examine changes in stress responses and smoking behaviors as it relates to social determinant factors
Patients will be administered a survey using validated measures to examine socioeconomic, structural, and psychosocial stressors that impact daily stress and smoking behaviors
Time frame: Baseline, 4- and 8-weeks post Trier Social Stress Test laboratory visit
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