The Relationship Between Religiosity and Tobacco Use in a Mexican Spanish Speaking Sample in the United States

Author

Lauren HalesFollow

Date of Award

Fall 2023

Degree Type

Masters Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science (MS)

School

Psychology

Committee Chair

Dr. Emily Yowell

Committee Chair School

Psychology

Committee Member 2

Dr. Craig Warlick

Committee Member 2 School

Psychology

Committee Member 3

Dr. Kevin Wells

Committee Member 3 School

Education

Abstract

To address disparities in minority mental health access and treatment, this study examined the relationship between tobacco use and religiosity, focusing on a Mexican Spanish speaking sample. Based on past research, it was hypothesized that religiosity would act as a protective factor against tobacco use characteristics. Participants were recruited through Amazon’s M*Turk survey platform. The sample included 144 adults aged 18+, currently residing in the US, who speak Mexican Spanish, have had an interaction with a medical provider in the last six months, and have used tobacco daily at some point in the last six months. Along with demographic information, participants answered questions regarding their faith identity characteristics, completed the Religious Belief Salience Scale as a measure of religiosity (RBS; Blaine & Crocker, 1995), and answered questions regarding their current tobacco use characteristics including completing the Heaviness of Smoking Index (HSI; Heatherton et al., 1991). Results showed that tobacco users who identified as religious had higher interest in quitting (M = 5.94, SD = 2.39) than those who did not (M = 5.05, SD = 2.46); t(142) = 1.99, p = 0.02, g = .37. Higher personal religiosity was associated with a higher interest in quitting, F(1, 142) = 6.51, p = 0.01, R² = 0.04 and lower smoking intensity characteristics F(1, 141) = 3.82, p = 0.053, R² = 0.03. For Mexican Spanish speakers, religiosity should be utilized as a discussion point to increase conversations around tobacco quit attempts and to increase buy-in to smoking cessation medication utilization.

Copyright

Lauren S. Hales, 2023

Recommended Citation

Hales, Lauren, "The Relationship Between Religiosity and Tobacco Use in a Mexican Spanish Speaking Sample in the United States" (2023). Master's Theses. 1009.
https://aquila.usm.edu/masters_theses/1009