Survey data show that Mexican-American (MA) youth report the highest rates of experimenting with cigarettes. This transdisciplinary project will determine the relative influences of both non-genetic (psychosocial, behavioral, and contextual) and genetic factors in susceptibility to smoking, initiation of smoking, and dependency on nicotine in a cohort of urban MA youth in the Houston metropolitan area. The proposal builds upon an existing population-based resource of MA households created and maintained in the Department of Epidemiology at M. D. Anderson Cancer Center, and capitalizes upon the experience in studying adolescent smoking trajectories in the Department of Behavioral Science. The study design will include an initial cross-sectional survey with the following specific aims: 1) to assess baseline prevalence of susceptibility to smoking and experimentation with cigarettes in the prior six months in unrelated MA adolescents between the ages of 11 to 13 years (n =1300). 2) to conduct a systematic telephone follow-up every six months to ascertain changes in smoking status (using widely accepted measures of cognitive susceptibility to smoking and nicotine dependence) and to collect saliva samples (as needed) for cotinine measurement. We will evaluate changes in psychosocial and contextual factors by conducting a follow-up home interview in the final year of the study. The hypothesis is that adolescents with lower levels of psychosocial resources or in smoking permissive contexts are more susceptible to smoking and to the development of dependent smoking. 3) to determine how variation in candidate genes, including those related to nicotine metabolism, dopamine and serotonin pathways, and genes encoding enzymes involved in synthesis or metabolism of neurotransmitters may influence the initiation, establishment of smoking, and nicotine dependence following experimentation. We will explore how genetic predisposing factors interact with psychosocial factors to impact smoking status. We will also evaluate whether genetic predisposition will modify the impact of the social, contextual, and psychological factors on the transition from experimentation to nicotine dependence. The long-term goal is to develop quantitative multivariate risk assessment models for experimentation, initiation and dependence, and genetic susceptibility in order to identify high-risk adolescent subgroups. These findings will enable us to develop culturally and age-appropriate school- and community-based smoking cessation interventions.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Cancer Institute (NCI)
Type
Research Project (R01)
Project #
5R01CA105203-04
Application #
7246585
Study Section
Behavioral Genetics and Epidemiology Study Section (BGES)
Program Officer
Augustson, Erik
Project Start
2004-09-20
Project End
2009-06-30
Budget Start
2007-07-01
Budget End
2008-06-30
Support Year
4
Fiscal Year
2007
Total Cost
$554,699
Indirect Cost
Name
University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center
Department
Type
Schools of Medicine
DUNS #
800772139
City
Houston
State
TX
Country
United States
Zip Code
77030
Song, Sunmi; Marcum, Christopher Steven; Wilkinson, Anna V et al. (2018) Genetic, Psychological, and Personal Network Factors Associated With Changes in Binge Drinking Over 2 Years Among Mexican Heritage Adolescents in the USA. Ann Behav Med :
Zhao, Hua; Wilkinson, Anna; Shen, Jie et al. (2017) Genetic polymorphisms in genes related to risk-taking behaviours predicting body mass index trajectory among Mexican American adolescents. Pediatr Obes 12:356-362
Wilkinson, Anna V; Miller, Erline E; Koehly, Laura M et al. (2017) Correlates of Physical Activity Differ by Sex and Country of Birth Among Mexican-Heritage Youth. J Immigr Minor Health 19:246-253
Rajesh, Vandita; Diamond, Pamela M; Spitz, Margaret R et al. (2015) Smoking Initiation Among Mexican Heritage Youth and the Roles of Family Cohesion and Conflict. J Adolesc Health 57:24-30
Wilkinson, Anna V; Koehly, Laura M; Vandewater, Elizabeth A et al. (2015) Demographic, psychosocial, and genetic risk associated with smokeless tobacco use among Mexican heritage youth. BMC Med Genet 16:43
Wilkinson, Anna V; Stigler, Melissa H; Okeke, Nnenna L et al. (2014) Smoking Experimentation, Moderate-to-Vigorous Physical Activity, and Associated Psychosocial and Demographic Correlates among Mexican Origin Youth. Int J Integr Pediatr Environ Med 1:1-11
Wilkinson, Anna V; Vandewater, Elizabeth A; Carey, Felicia R et al. (2014) Exposure to pro-tobacco messages and smoking status among Mexican origin youth. J Immigr Minor Health 16:385-93
Talluri, Rajesh; Wilkinson, Anna V; Spitz, Margaret R et al. (2014) A risk prediction model for smoking experimentation in Mexican American youth. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 23:2165-74
Wilkinson, Anna V; Swartz, Michael D; Yu, Xiaoying et al. (2013) Cigarette experimentation and the population attributable fraction for associated genetic and non-genetic risk factors. PLoS One 8:e53868
Wilkinson, A V; Gabriel, K P; Wang, J et al. (2013) Sensation-seeking genes and physical activity in youth. Genes Brain Behav 12:181-8

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