Negative affect and the utilization of tobacco treatment among adult smokers with cancer

Abstract

Objective We investigated the patterns of tobacco treatment utilization among US adult smokers with cancer and the role of negative affect as potential individual‐level psychosocial barriers and facilitators influencing quit attempts and tobacco treatment utilization. Methods We analyzed data from the adult sample in Wave 1 (2013–2014) of the Population Assessment of Tobacco and Health (PATH) Study. Using structural equation modeling, we examined (1) the association between cancer diagnosis and negative affect (e.g., depressive mood, anxiety, and distress) and (2) the associations between negative affect and smoking cessation behaviors (i.e., quit attempts and tobacco treatment utilization). Results Compared to adults without cancer, cancer survivors were more likely to have attempted to quit tobacco use in the past 12 months (p < 0.05) and experienced increased negative affect (p < 0.01). However, negative affect appeared to be a psychological barrier to quit attempts, as it was associated with lower likelihood of attempting to quit (p < 0.05). On the other hand, among past‐12‐month quit attempters, negative affect was related to higher likelihood of using any type of tobacco treatment (p < 0.001). Conclusions Negative affect may be a potential underlying mechanism in the relationship between cancer diagnosis status and quit attempts and tobacco treatment utilization, influencing the utilization of tobacco treatment among smokers with cancer. Research is needed to investigate whether integrating emotional management in the oncology setting may effectively aid smoking cessation among patients with cancer.

Tobacco Use and Tobacco Treatment Referral Response of Patients With Cancer: Implementation Outcomes at a National Cancer Institute–Designated Cancer Center

“… 51 To our knowledge, this study is among the first to examine distress level of patients with cancer as a correlate of tobacco treatment acceptance or utilization, with at least one study showing a positive association between negative effect and treatment use. 63 By contrast, depressive symptoms and other markers of distress have demonstrated negative associations with readiness and confidence of patients with cancer to quit. 48 , 64 , 65 Because many patients with cancer experience distress during the acute period of cancer diagnosis and treatment, 66 integrating psychologic services into cancer care might help patients capitalize on any effect-related motivation to quit while preventing any distress levels that might impede successful engagement in tobacco treatment.…”

Relationships between fear of cancer recurrence, anxiety and worry, and health behaviors and health service use: a systematic review

“…Study characteristics are described in Table 1 [30–99] . Dates of publication included 1990 to 1999 (4%); 2000 to 2009 (11%); 2010 to 2015 (34%); 2016-April 2021 (49%), with research being conducted internationally, most commonly the United States (47%), Canada (9%), Netherlands (10%), and Australia (9%).…”