Tobacco smoking associated with adverse childhood experiences in a Brazilian community university sample: A case-control study

Author(s)

Maia-Silva, Keyla Medeiros ^[1] ; Zamel, Noe ^[2] ; Selby, Peter ^[3] ; Fernandes Fontes, Cor Jesus ^[4] ; Santos, Ubiratan Paula ^[1]

Affiliation

^[1] Univ Sao Paulo, Hosp Clin HCFMUSP, Fac Med, Div Pneumol, Inst Coracao InCor, Av Dr Eneas Carvalho Aguiar 44, BR-05403000 Sao Paulo, SP - Brazil

^[2] Univ Toronto, Fac Med, Mt Sinai Hosp, 600 Univ Ave, Room 474, Toronto, ON M5G 1X5 - Canada

^[3] Univ Toronto, Ctr Addict & Mental Hlth, 100 Stokes St, Toronto, ON M6J 1H4 - Canada

^[4] Univ Fed Mato Grosso, EBSERH, Julio Muller Univ Hosp, Fac Med, S-N Dr Luiz Philippe Leite St, BR-78048902 Cuiaba, Mato Grosso - Brazil

• Document type: Journal article
• Source: CHILDREN AND YOUTH SERVICES REVIEW; v. 120, JAN 2021.
• Web of Science Citations: 0

Abstract

Background: Adverse childhood experiences have been shown to have a great impact on adult health and social outcomes including tobacco smoking. Studies have shown this association but were mainly conducted in the USA. Objective: To evaluate the association between smoking, general characteristics, and adverse childhood experiences in a population of a Brazilian University. Participants and setting: Population formed by students and employees of a Brazilian University. Case-control observational study with a 1: 1 pairing by age, sex and education. The cases were defined as participants using nicotine-containing products, whether from burnt or unburned tobacco or electronic cigarettes, and the controls never users. Methods: We conducted the study using a Portuguese translation of the brief version of the family background questionnaire (8 adverse childhood experiences categories) in a group of 1056 participants with mean age of 31 years of a university community in Brazil. Smokers were compared to non-smokers on their adverse childhood experiences scores. Results: The prevalence of smoking in adulthood was significantly associated with the score of adverse childhood experiences. In addition, the level of tobacco dependence in adulthood also correlated with the score of adverse childhood. Conclusions: The association, including a possible dose-response relationship, in young adults between adverse childhood experiences and smoking was confirmed in a population of a Brazilian university. This further adds to our understanding of the determinants of adult tobacco use in a relatively more diverse cosmopolitan scenario. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 17/15117-1 - Smoking - evaluation of the decisive role of the family structure and genetic polymorphism
• Grantee: Ubiratan de Paula Santos
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants