Living in a dangerous neighborhood may encourage another danger: smoking Facing daily threats could lead to bad coping behaviors for these folks, researchers report Smoking cessation efforts that target this group may help keep some folks from starting the bad habit THURSDAY, July 4, 2024 (HealthDay News) -- It may sound far-fetched, but new research suggests that living in dangerous neighborhoods could trigger an unintended health harm: higher smoking rates among residents. "High levels of neighborhood threat shape perceptions of powerlessness among residents, amplifying a general sense of mistrust, that can promote maladaptive coping behavior like smoking,” said researcher Michael Zvolensky , a professor of psychology at the University of Houston. According to the U.
S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the neighborhoods people live in can determine their health and well-being. While such factors are now understood as important factors in the onset, maintenance and relapse of substance use behavior, little research has evaluated what the researchers called "neighborhood vigilance" in terms of smoking rates, the researchers noted.
Zvolensky's team examined the role of neighborhood vigilance in terms of smoking and the severity of problems smokers thought they might face if they try to quit. Living in less secure neighborhoods was tied to smokers thinking it would be tough to quit, expecting "negative mood and harmful consequences,” Zvolensky said in a university.