Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Smokers: Correlations with External Health Control, Health Expectations, and Shame-Focused Coping Strategies

Abstract

Cigarette smoking is a major health concern in the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) community. This study explored if LGBT smoking heaviness was predicted by the cognitive strategies of external health control, health expectations, avoidant shame-focused coping, and attack self shame-focused coping. Differences were assessed across LGBT identification and nicotine dependence status. Results indicated external health control significantly predicted heaviness of smoking over and above age and education. Shame-focused coping strategies correlated to heaviness of smoking, external health control, and health expectations. Transgender identity associated to earlier smoking initiation compared to lesbians and gay men. Implications for clinicians and researchers are presented.

KEYWORDS:

• cigarette smoking
• external health control
• LGBT
• shame-focused coping