Examining the Relationship Between Cigarette Smoking and Depression Among Asian American Adults

Does having smoked cigarettes have any relationship to depression? This study explores the relationship between cigarette smoking and depressive frequency within the Asian American adult population. I hypothesized that Asian American adults who have ever smoked a cigarette would report more depression compared to Asian American adults who have never smoked cigarettes. To test this hypothesis, I analyzed data from the 2021 National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) using a subset of 1704 Asian American adults aged 18 to 85+. I controlled for native-born status, social/emotional support, relationship status, education, age, and gender. Controlling for the other variables, Asian American adults who have ever smoked a cigarette reported greater depressive frequency than those who have never smoked a cigarette. Additionally, multiple regression results showed that being in a relationship (married or living with a partner together as an unmarried couple) along with one’s level of social/emotional support had the largest effects on depressive frequency in the Asian American adult population followed by smoking status, gender, and native-born status