RESUMO
BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Frequent experiences of discrimination could increase vulnerability to tobacco withdrawal and smoking lapse in populations subject to tobacco-related health disparities. This laboratory study (2013-17) examined whether individual differences in perceived exposure to discrimination in one's daily life predicted tobacco withdrawal symptoms and smoking lapse behavior following acute tobacco deprivation in African American smokers. DESIGN: Mixed design with the between-subjects continuous variable of perceived discrimination crossed with the within-subject variable of tobacco deprivation status (deprived versus non-deprived). SETTING: Academic medical center in Los Angeles, CA, USA. PARTICIPANTS: African American non-treatment seeking daily cigarette smokers (n = 607, ≥ 10 cig/day). MEASUREMENTS: At a baseline visit, self-reported frequency of perceived exposure to discrimination in one's daily life was measured [everyday discrimination scale (EDDS)]. At two subsequent counterbalanced experimental visits (16-hour tobacco deprivation versus ad-libitum smoking), self-report assessments of various tobacco withdrawal symptom domains [Brief Questionnaire of Smoking Urges), Wisconsin Smoking Withdrawal Scale (WSWS), Profile of Mood States (POMS), Snaith-Hamilton Pleasure Scale (SHAPS) and Current Impulsivity Scale (CIS)) and a behavioral smoking lapse analogue task were measured. FINDINGS: Adjusted models demonstrated that greater frequency of perceived exposure to discrimination was associated with larger deprivation-induced increases in acute urges to smoke to alleviate negative mood, several negative mood states and subjective cognitive functioning-effect sizes were small in magnitude (ßs = 0.09-0.13; Ps < 0.02). Data were inconclusive for associations between perceived exposure to discrimination and deprivation-induced changes in cravings, urges to smoke for pleasure, positive mood reduction, other symptoms or smoking reinstatement behavior. CONCLUSIONS: Frequency of perceived exposure to discrimination appears to be modestly associated with increased severity of some deprivation-induced tobacco withdrawal symptoms in African American smokers.