The association of HIV and cocaine use to cigarette smoking in the context of depression and perceived stress

ABSTRACT

Mental well-being can contribute to cigarette smoking and negatively impact disease progression among people living with HIV (PLWH). This study examined potential associations between cocaine use (COC), depression, and HIV status in predicting cigarette smoking; hypothesizing that depression would be highest in cocaine users and predict cigarette smoking. An exploratory analysis including stress was also examined as a potential predictor of cigarette use. More than half of the sample (65%) endorsed smoking at some point in the past, and 52% endorsed being current smokers at the time of the study. Smokers were most likely to be cocaine users (87.1%), cocaine using PLWH (74.3%), or PLWH (36.6%). Neither HIV status (χ²(1) = 1.5, p = .221), perceived stress (χ²(1) = 0.75 p = .386), nor depressive symptomatology (χ²(1) = 1.2, p = .274) were related to smoking. Non-cocaine users were approximately 95.4% less likely to smoke than cocaine users, controlling for all other variables. Overall, cocaine use was the greatest predictor of cigarette smoking and quantity of cigarettes smoked. Perceived stress and depression were not associated with cigarette smoking in the sample. Future interventions targeting cigarette use should include a cocaine-related component to encourage smoking cessation among this high-risk group.

KEYWORDS:

• HIV
• cocaine
• cigarette smoking
• depression
• stress

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by NIDA/NIH [grant number R01DA034589], and with support from the Miami Center for AIDS Research, NIAID/NIH [grant number P30AI073961].