Depressive symptoms and smoking cessation among inner-city African Americans using the nicotine patch

This study examined the relationship between depressive symptoms and smoking cessation among a sample of inner-city African American smokers using the nicotine patch. Analyses were conducted on data from a previous randomized trial that tested the effects of culturally sensitive vs. standard self-help quitting materials. The study sample consisted of 498 African American smokers (mean age=42.95, SD=10.40; 60% female) recruited from a large hospital. Participants in both groups received 8 weeks of nicotine replacement therapy. Level of smoking, quit status, and depressive symptoms (Medical Outcomes Survey Short Depression Screen) were assessed at baseline, week 4 (mid-treatment), and 6-month follow-up. Analyses that controlled for randomization group generally did not support the hypothesis that baseline levels of depressive symptoms predict smoking at Week 4 or Month 6. Cross-sectional analyses at each time point indicated that depressive symptoms were positively associated with smoking level (both: β=0.24, p<.05). Changes (increases) in depressive symptoms from baseline to week 4 predicted higher smoking levels at follow-up (β=0.19, p<.05). Although the results indicated a significant association between depressive symptoms and level of smoking, they generally did not support the notion that depressive symptoms are associated with failure to quit.