# Hopelessness and Smoking among Black Adults

## TL;DR

This study finds that hopelessness is strongly linked to smoking among Black adults, even after accounting for other factors like depression.

## Contribution

The study is the first to examine hopelessness as a risk factor for smoking in a nationally representative sample of Black adults.

## Key findings

- Hopelessness was significantly associated with higher odds of smoking.
- The association remained strong after adjusting for demographic, socioeconomic, and depression factors.
- Promoting hope may help reduce smoking in Black populations.

## Abstract

While the link between depression and smoking is known, less is known about the relationship between hopelessness and smoking in large national community-based sample of Black people.

This study investigates the association between hopelessness and smoking status, using data from the National Survey of American Life (NSAL), which is the only ethnically diverse nationally representative sample of Black adults.

Data from the NSAL were analyzed. Hopelessness and smoking status were assessed using structured interviews. Logistic regression was employed to assess the link between hopelessness and smoking status, controlling for potential confounders such as demographic factors and socioeconomic indicators as well as depression.

4,939 participants entered our analysis. Hopelessness was significantly associated with higher odds of smoking status. This association remained robust after adjusting for confounders such as demographic factors, socioeconomic status, and depression.

Hopelessness may be a critical risk factor for smoking in Black adults. Promoting hope as a component of targeted tobacco cessation programs may help reduce tobacco use of Black populations.