Psychological Distress in Smokers and Quit Attempts
Author Information
Author(s): Frederieke S van der Deen, Kristie N Carter, Nick Wilson, Sunny Collings
Primary Institution: University of Otago
Hypothesis
The study investigates the association of smoking status and quit status with psychological distress.
Conclusion
Current smokers who attempted to quit in the last year experience higher levels of psychological distress.
Supporting Evidence
- Current smokers had higher rates of psychological distress compared to never smokers.
- Unsuccessful quitters reported 16% high to very high psychological distress.
- The odds of high psychological distress were significantly greater for unsuccessful quitters compared to long-term ex-smokers.
Takeaway
Smokers who try to quit but fail feel more sad and stressed than those who never smoked or quit successfully.
Methodology
The study used logistic regression analyses on data from the Survey of Families, Income and Employment (SoFIE) to assess psychological distress levels among smokers.
Potential Biases
Potential social desirability bias in self-reported smoking status.
Limitations
The study is cross-sectional, limiting causal inferences, and may have selection bias due to sample attrition.
Participant Demographics
Participants included 20% current smokers, 25% ex-smokers, and 55% never smokers, with a diverse demographic including age, sex, and ethnicity.
Statistical Information
P-Value
1.45
Confidence Interval
1.24-1.69
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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