Cigarette Smoking Initiation Among U.S. Adults with LGBTQ and Racial Minority Intersectionality

open_access
Open Access
Author:
Li, Long Yang
Area of Honors:
Psychology
Degree:
Bachelor of Arts
Document Type:
Thesis
Thesis Supervisors:
Melinda Furer, Thesis Supervisor
Lisa Ann Emili, Thesis Honors Advisor
Keywords:
Cigarette smoking
LGBTQ
Racial Minority
Intersectionality
Minority Stress
United States
Abstract:
Cigarette smoking is a leading cause of preventable death and a significant economic burden in America (US Department of Health and Human Services, 2014). Consistent with the minority stress theory (Meyer, 2003), a significantly higher proportion of the LGBTQ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer) population and certain racial minority groups report being smokers compared to the general public. The intersectionality theory (Crenshaw, 2013) also suggests that multiple minority identities could combine and further influence health behaviors such as cigarette smoking, but little research has tested this approach. The current study aims to address this gap in understanding how intersectionality could influence cigarette smoking initiation, which is an important predictor of future smoking behaviors and health outcomes. Data from a sample of 32,320 adult respondents was extracted from the Population Assessment of Tobacco and Health (PATH) study (2022 version). LGBTQ individuals were significantly more likely to report initiating cigarette smoking and starting it at a younger age compared to straight individuals. White individuals were significantly more likely to report initiating cigarette smoking behaviors and starting it at a younger age, compared to racial minority individuals. Likewise, no significant differences were found in measures between individuals with both LGBTQ and racial minority identities and those without both these identities. This suggests that a LGBTQ and racial minority intersectionality is neither associated with an increased nor decreased likelihood of initiating cigarette smoking or starting it at a younger age in comparison to individuals without this intersectionality.