Search

Tobacco and alcohol use are linked behaviors that individually and synergistically increase the risk for negative health consequences. This study was a two-group, randomized clinical trial evaluating the efficacy of a behavioral intervention, "Motivation And Problem Solving Plus" (MAPS+), designed to concurrently address smoking cessation and the reduction of at-risk drinking. Targeted interventions may promote coaction, the likelihood that changing one behavior (smoking) increases the probability of changing another behavior (alcohol use). Puerto Ricans (N=202) who were smokers and at-risk drinkers were randomized to standard MAPS treatment focused exclusively on smoking cessation (S-MAPS), or MAPS+, focused on cessation and at-risk drinking reduction. Drinking outcomes included: number of at-risk drinking behaviors, heavy drinking, binge drinking, and drinking and driving. MAPS+ did not have a significant main effect on reducing at-risk drinking relative to S-MAPS. Among individuals who quit smoking, MAPS+ reduced the number of drinking behaviors, the likelihood of meeting criteria for heavy drinking relative to S-MAPS, and appeared promising for reducing binge drinking. MAPS+ did not improve drinking outcomes among individuals who were unsuccessful at quitting smoking. MAPS+ showed promise in reducing at-risk drinking among Puerto Rican smokers who successfully quit smoking, consistent with treatment enhanced coaction. Integrating an alcohol intervention into cessation treatment did not reduce engagement in treatment, or hinder cessation outcomes, and positively impacted at-risk drinking among individuals who quit smoking. Findings of coaction between smoking and drinking speak to the promise of multiple health behavior change interventions for substance use treatment and chronic disease prevention., (Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Ltd.)

The current study utilized regression analyses to explore the relationships among demographic and linguistic indicators of acculturation, gender, and tobacco dependence among Spanish-speaking Latino smokers in treatment. Additionally, bootstrapping analyses were used to examine the role of dependence as a mediator of the relationship between indicators of acculturation and cessation. Indicators of time spent in the United States were related to indicators of physical dependence. Preferred media language was related to a multidimensional measure of dependence. Gender did not impact the relationships between acculturation indicators and dependence. A multidimensional measure of dependence significantly mediated the relationship between preferred media language and cessation. Future research would benefit from consideration of acculturation and multidimensional measures of dependence when studying smoking cessation among Latinos, and from further examination of factors accounting for relationships among acculturation, dependence, and cessation., (Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)