Ethnicity, Coronavirus Disease-Related Stress, and E-cigarette Use and Cigarette Smoking Among Young Adults: A Longitudinal Study

Abstract

Introduction Research has rarely examined ethnic differences in exposure to COVID-related stress in relation to smoking and e-cigarette use. Using pre- and post-COVID data from a sample of predominantly Asian American (AA) and Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander (NHPI) young adults, this study tested the effects of ethnicity on cigarette smoking and e-cigarette use through exposure to COVID-related stress. Methods Young adults from Hawaii who provided pre-COVID data in or before January 2020 were followed up with in March-May 2021. N = 1907 [mean age = 24.9 (SD = 2.9), 56% women] provided complete data relevant to the current analysis at both waves of data collection. Structural equation modeling was used to test the effects of ethnicity [White, Asian (e.g., (Japanese, Chinese), Filipino, NHPI, and Other] on pre- to post-COVID changes in cigarette and e-cigarette use via effects on COVID-related stress. Results Relative to Asian young adults, members of all other ethnic groups (NHPI, Filipino, White, and Other) indicated greater exposure to COVID-related stress. Higher levels of COVID-related stress were associated with increased dual use status and increased current e-cigarette and cigarette use frequencies. Higher COVID-related stress mediated the effects of NHPI, Filipino, and Other ethnicity on increased dual use status. Conclusions The current data indicate that young adults of vulnerable ethnic groups who experience higher COVID-related stress are at increased risk for dual use of cigarettes and e-cigarettes. Implications The findings imply that tobacco use prevention and treatment efforts may need to pay increased attention to racial/ethnic groups that have experienced greater adverse impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.