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Anxiety Sensitivity as a Mediator of the Association between Asthma and Smoking

Avallone, Kimberly M.
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ucin1406811550

Abstract Details

2014, PhD, University of Cincinnati, Arts and Sciences: Psychology.
Despite the known compromising effects of smoking on lung function and health, smoking is more common among individuals with asthma compared to those without, resulting in increased asthma symptom severity and poorer asthma control. Overall, few differences exist between smokers with and without asthma in terms of smoking behavior and smoking-related cognitive processes, thus, it is likely that there are other key factors that may help explain the association between smoking and asthma. One such factor that has received increasing empirical attention in relation to both smoking and asthma is anxiety sensitivity (AS), defined as the fear of arousal-related physical and psychological sensations. AS has been found to be associated with negative affect reduction smoking motives and greater difficulties with smoking cessation as well as poorer asthma control, and asthma-related quality of life. As research has consistently found that AS is associated with both smoking and asthma, AS may help to explain the association between smoking and asthma. Thus, the purpose of the current study was to evaluate the mediating role of AS in the association between asthma diagnosis and smoking status. The study sample consisted of four distinct groups based on asthma status and smoking status created with data from three existing datasets (N = 485): (1) 113 non-smokers without asthma (74.1% female, Mage = 20.3 years, SD = 3.7); (2) 121 non-smokers with asthma (75% female, Mage = 43.6 years, SD = 12.3); (3) 125 smokers with asthma (54% male; Mage = 37.7 years, SD = 12.1); and (4) 126 smokers without asthma (70.4% male; Mage = 36.5 years, SD = 13.1). After controlling for gender, race, and age, having an asthma diagnosis significantly predicted higher levels of AS. AS was positively associated with the log odds of being a smoker, and the direct effect of asthma diagnosis was negatively associated with smoking status. Bias-corrected bootstrapping (k = 10,000 samples) was used to generate a 95% confidence interval to test the significance of the indirect effect. Results indicated a significant indirect effect of asthma diagnosis on smoking status through AS (95% CI = .09 to .46), suggesting that AS mediates the association between asthma diagnosis and smoking status. The primary implication of these findings is that AS may serve as an important target for prevention and intervention efforts in this population.
Alison Mcleish, Ph.D. (Committee Chair)
Christine Hovanitz, Ph.D. (Committee Member)
Farrah Jacquez, Ph.D. (Committee Member)
54 p.
Psychology
anxiety sensitivity; asthma; cigarette smoking; statistical mediation

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Avallone, K. M. (2014). Anxiety Sensitivity as a Mediator of the Association between Asthma and Smoking [Doctoral dissertation, University of Cincinnati]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ucin1406811550

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Avallone, Kimberly. Anxiety Sensitivity as a Mediator of the Association between Asthma and Smoking. 2014. University of Cincinnati, Doctoral dissertation. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ucin1406811550.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Avallone, Kimberly. "Anxiety Sensitivity as a Mediator of the Association between Asthma and Smoking." Doctoral dissertation, University of Cincinnati, 2014. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ucin1406811550

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

ucin1406811550
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This open access ETD is published by University of Cincinnati and OhioLINK.