Cigarette Smoking Behaviors and Beliefs in Persons Living With HIV/AIDS

OBJECTIVE: To measure biopsychosocial domains related to tobacco use in persons living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHAs). METHODS: Cross-sectional interview study of 60 PLWHA smokers randomly selected from an HIV clinic. RESULTS: Participants averaged 14.4 cigarettes daily. Sixty-five percent were moderately or highly nicotine dependent, and most were motivated to quit. Substance use and depression were very common. Most reported that smoking helped them cope with depression, anxiety, and anger. Twenty-seven percent thought (mistakenly) that smoking raised their T-cell counts and/or helped fight infections. Referrals to quitlines or cessation programs were uncommon. CONCLUSIONS: Smoking among PLWHAs is a challenging problem requiring targeted intervention strategies.