Perceived Discrimination and Nicotine Product Use: Findings from a Youth and Young Adult Sample (2022-2023)

This cross-sectional study explores associations between perceived discrimination and nicotine product use. Data were collected from participants of the Truth Longitudinal Cohort, a national sample of youth and young adults. The analytic sample included participants surveyed between October 2022 to February 2023, who provided information on ever and past 30-day cigarette and e-cigarette use, perceived discrimination via the Everyday Discrimination Scale, and covariates (N = 5953). Multinomial logistic regression models were applied to the data to explore associations between perceived discrimination and nicotine product use. Results demonstrated that higher levels of perceived discrimination were associated with greater odds of current e-cigarette use, current or former cigarette use, current dual use of e-cigarettes and cigarettes, former e-cigarette use, and former dual use of e-cigarettes and cigarettes, relative to never users of cigarettes or e-cigarettes. Additional research is needed to determine the mechanisms by which perceived discrimination might influence use of nicotine products - especially given that associations were also found between gender identity, race and ethnicity, perceived financial situation, household smoker status, and sensation seeking with nicotine product use.