Roma socioeconomic status has higher impact on smoking behaviour than genetic susceptibility
Abstract Background Prevalence of smoking in Hungarian Roma (HR) population is two to five times higher than in Hungarian general (HG) population. Our study aims to examine genetic susceptibility and other possible determinants associated to smoking behaviours in these populations. Methods A questionnaire based cross-sectional study was designed in HG (N = 412) and HR (N = 402) populations. Ten Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms (SNPs) were genotyped known to be robustly linked to smoking behaviours. Risk allele frequencies were compared. Additive genetic risk scores (unweighted GRS and weighted GRS) were constructed to compare genetic load from SNPs in genes NRXN1, CHRNA5/4, AGPHD1, MAOA, TRPC7, KCNJ6, GABRA4, and CYP2A6. Smoking behaviour were associated with GRSs and confounders (age, gender, BMI, socioeconomic status-SES) in several regression models. SES was calculated based on Modified Kuppuswamy scale 2019. Results Risk allele frequencies of four SNPs were found to be different between populations (p < 0.01). Median of GRS was equivalent among in populations; whilst wGRS median was slightly higher among Roma (5.2 compared to Hungarian 4.9; P = 0.02). In Roma both genders were more likely to be heavy smoker (OR = 2.05, 95%CI: 1.47-2.86; OR = 1.89, 95%CI: 1.58-2.25, for males and females, respectively) compared to counterparts from general population. GRS were higher among heavy smokers of both populations compared to other smoking behaviours (ORRoma= 1.06, 95%CI:0.98-1.15; ORHungarian=1.05, 95%CI=0.91-1.2). Strong reversible relationship was found between SES and smoking behaviours among study populations (p < 0.0001). Heavy, moderate, and former smokers were having lower SES compared to never smokers of both populations (SES β=-0.037, P = 0.04 for Hungarian; β=-0.039, P = 0.02 for Roma). Conclusions Socioeconomic status was shown as a priority indicator based on multifactorial regression analysis. The highest efforts should be focused on improving the SES of Roma population. Key messages Result of this study indicate the priority impact of SES instead of genetic susceptibility on Roma smoking behaviours variations. Interventions on improving socioeconomic status of the Roma might result in decreasing their cigarette consumption.