Citation

North C, Marti CN, Loukas A. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2021; 18(21): e11077.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2021, MDPI: Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute)

DOI

10.3390/ijerph182111077

PMID

34769598

Abstract

We examined the role of depressive symptoms in the longitudinal trajectory of the number of tobacco products used across young adulthood, ages 18-30 years, and whether peer tobacco use exacerbated the effects of the depressive symptoms. Participants were 4534 initially 18-25-year-old young adults in the Marketing and Promotions Across Colleges in Texas project (Project M-PACT), which collected data across a 4.5-year period from 2014 to 2019. Growth curve modeling within an accelerated design was used to test study hypotheses. Elevated depressive symptoms were associated with a greater number of tobacco products used concurrently and at least six months later. The number of tobacco-using peers moderated the association between depressive symptoms and the number of tobacco products trajectory. Young adults with elevated depressive symptoms used a greater number of tobacco products but only when they had a greater number of tobacco-using peers.

FINDINGS indicate that not all young adults with depressive symptoms use tobacco. Having a greater number of tobacco-using peers may facilitate a context that both models and encourages tobacco use. Therefore, tobacco prevention programs should aim to include peer components, especially for young adults.

Language: en

Keywords

Texas; longitudinal; young adults; depression; peers; tobacco products