Date of Conferral
3-13-2025
Degree
Doctor of Public Health (DrPH)
School
Public Health
Advisor
Manoj Sharma
Abstract
The growing prevalence of e-cigarette use is fueled by the false belief that they are safer than traditional cigarettes. African American adults aged 18 and older are disproportionately impacted by tobacco products, including e-cigarettes. Little research focuses specifically on e-cigarette use among young African Americans, examining how factors like physical activity, smokeless tobacco, and urban/rural status influence their usage. This study aimed to investigate these influences while considering gender, academic level, alcohol and marijuana use, cigarette smoking, and anxiety/depression as controlling factors. Using the social ecological model (SEM), the research sought to understand how environmental factors interact with individual behaviors, such as e-cigarette use. Conducted as a quantitative secondary data analysis of the 2021 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance Survey (BRFSS) data, the study employed univariate and multivariate analyses to identify significant variables and their impacts. The logistic regression model showed a significant association between physical activity, e-cigarette use (p = .043, OR = 1.804), and smokeless tobacco use and e-cigarette use (p= .001, OR = 4.013). Other significant predictors included gender (p = .004, OR = .558), alcohol use (p = .011, OR = 1.048), and anxiety/depression (p < .001, OR = 1.041). Findings suggest that this information can be used to inform tobacco control efforts for vulnerable populations of young adults, contributing to positive social change.
Recommended Citation
Britt, Destiny, "Physical Activity, Smokeless Tobacco, Urban/Rural Status and E-Cigarette Use among African American Young Adults" (2025). Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies. 17482.
https://scholarworks.waldenu.edu/dissertations/17482
