Colmar D. Figueroa-Moseley, PhD, Office of Diversity in Clinical Research, Mayo Clinic, 200 First St SW, Eisenberg 7-239, Rochester, MN 55906, 507-255-7075, colmar01@earthlink.net and Jill M Abramson, MD, MPH, Consultant, Division of Children with Special Health Care Needs, Minnesota Department of Health, 1611 10th St. NE, Rochester, MN 55906.

Few studies have examined the potential influence of childhood abuse on smoking among men and women. In this exploratory study, 400 college students (296 women and 104 men) completed an anonymous survey on abuse (neglect, physical, sexual, emotional) and witnessing domestic violence. Results revealed that women who were sexually abused as children were 3.9 times more likely than their non-abused counterparts to be current smokers. Abuse played no role in men’s current smoking. Conversely, men who had witnessed domestic violence in their youth were 11 times more likely to have problems quitting smoking than men who had not witnessed domestic violence. Abuse was not a contributing factor in a woman’s inability to stop smoking. In all analyses, abuse was a better predictor of smoking and the inability to quit smoking than were status variables (age, income, ethnicity). These preliminary findings highlight abuse in childhood as a stressor that increases men and women’s risk for negative smoking behaviors in different ways. Hence, the abuse-smoking relationship is worthy of further investigation and consideration in development of smoking prevention and cessation programs.

Learning Objectives:

• To explore the association between childhood abuse and smoking behaviors.
• To examine gender differences in adult smoking behaviors following childhood abuse.

Keywords: Smoking, College Students

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.