Comparisons of three nicotine dependence scales in a multiethnic sample of young adult menthol and non-menthol smokers.
BACKGROUND
Few studies have compared nicotine dependence among menthol and non-menthol cigarette smokers in a multiethnic sample of young adult daily cigarette smokers. This study examines differences in nicotine dependence among menthol and non-menthol daily smokers and the associations of nicotine dependence with quitting behaviors among Native Hawaiian, Filipino, and White cigarette smokers aged 18-35.


METHODS
Craigslist.org, newspaper advertisements, and peer-to-peer referrals were used to recruit daily smokers (n = 186) into a lab-based study. Nicotine dependence was assessed using the Fagerstrom Test of Nicotine Dependence (FTND), the Nicotine Dependence Syndrome Scale (NDSS), and the brief Wisconsin Inventory for Smoking Dependence Motives (WISDM). Multiple regression analyses were used to examine differences in nicotine dependence between menthol and non-menthol smokers and the relationship between each nicotine dependence scale with self-efficacy to quit, quit attempt in the past 12 months, and number of attempts.


RESULTS
Menthol smokers were more likely to report difficulty refraining from smoking in places where forbidden (p = .04) and had higher scores on social/environmental goads subscale of the WISDM (p = .0005). Two-way interaction models of the FTND and menthol status showed that menthol smokers with higher levels of dependence were more likely to have tried to quit smoking in the past 12 months (p = .02), but were less likely to have had multiple quit attempts (p = .01).


CONCLUSIONS
Components of the FTND and WISDM distinguish levels of dependence between menthol and non-menthol smokers. Higher FTND scores were associated with having a quit attempt, but fewer quit attempts among menthol smokers.
Cancer Prevention and Control Program, University of Hawaii Cancer Center, University of Hawaii at Manoa, 701 Ilalo Street, Honolulu, HI 96813, USA. Electronic address: pfagan@cc.hawaii.edu.
Pebbles
P
Fagan
Cancer Prevention and Control Program, University of Hawaii Cancer Center, University of Hawaii at Manoa, 701 Ilalo Street, Honolulu, HI 96813, USA. Electronic address: ppokhrel@cc.hawaii.edu.
Pallav
P
Pohkrel
Cancer Prevention and Control Program, University of Hawaii Cancer Center, University of Hawaii at Manoa, 701 Ilalo Street, Honolulu, HI 96813, USA. Electronic address: therzog@cc.hawaii.edu.
Thaddeus
T
Herzog
Cancer Prevention and Control Program, University of Hawaii Cancer Center, University of Hawaii at Manoa, 701 Ilalo Street, Honolulu, HI 96813, USA. Electronic address: pagano@hawaii.edu.
Ian
I
Pagano
American Legacy Foundation, 1724 Massachusetts Avenue N.W., Washington, DC 20036, USA. Electronic address: dvallone@legacyforhealth.org.
Donna
D
Vallone
School of Community and Global Health, Claremont Graduate University, 675 West Foothill Boulevard, Suite 310, Claremont, CA 91711-3475, USA. Electronic address: dennis.trinidad@cgu.edu.
Dennis R
DR
Trinidad
Oregon State University, College of Public Health and Human Sciences, 412 Waldo, Corvallis, OR 97331, USA. Electronic address: KariLyn.Sakuma@oregonstate.edu.
Kari-Lyn
KL
Sakuma
School of Public Health, Georgia State University, One Park Place, Suite 662, Atlanta, GA 30303, USA. Electronic address: ksterling@gsu.edu.
Kymberle
K
Sterling
Department of Behavioral and Community Health, School of Public Health, Maryland Center for Health Equity, University of Maryland, 2324 SPH Building #255, College Park, MD 20742, USA. Electronic address: csfryer@umd.edu.
Craig S
CS
Fryer
325 Elm Street, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA. Electronic address: emoolcha@comcast.net.
Eric
E
Moolchan
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D005006:Ethnicity / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006254:Hawaii / Q000208:ethnology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008610:Menthol / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D044468:Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander / Q000523:psychology*; D010679:Philippines / Q000208:ethnology; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D012044:Regression Analysis; D020377:Self Efficacy; D012907:Smoking / Q000523:psychology*; D016540:Smoking Cessation / Q000523:psychology; D014029:Tobacco Use Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology*; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology; D044465:White People / Q000523:psychology*; D055815:Young Adult
D008610:Menthol
Cigarettes; Menthol; Nicotine dependence; Race/ethnicity; Young adults