Depressive, not anxiety, symptoms are associated with current cigarette smoking among university internal medical patients

Psychosomatics. 1997 Mar-Apr;38(2):132-9. doi: 10.1016/S0033-3182(97)71482-8.

Abstract

To investigate the relationship between symptoms of anxiety and current cigarette smoking, the authors conducted a cross-sectional survey of internal medicine outpatients. The participants completed a questionnaire that contained the Sheehan Patient-Rated Anxiety Scale, as well as several demographic, substance use, and medical questions. Of the 471 persons asked to participate, 370 (78.5%) agreed. The current smokers scored statistically higher on the anxiety scale than the nonsmokers (P = 0.009). For a subset of depressive questions, the smokers scored higher than the nonsmokers (P = 0.005). When subjected to univariate and multivariate analyses, only the depressive symptoms (odds ratio [OR] = 1.38, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.34-1.43) and amount of caffeine intake (OR = 1.84, 95% CI = 1.28-2.650) were significantly related to current smoking. The authors conclude that among patients attending a university's internal medicine clinic, current depressive symptoms and amount of caffeine intake were significantly related to current cigarette use. Symptoms of anxiety were not related to current cigarette smoking.

MeSH terms

  • Academic Medical Centers
  • Adult
  • Anxiety Disorders / diagnosis*
  • Anxiety Disorders / epidemiology
  • Anxiety Disorders / psychology
  • Colorado / epidemiology
  • Cross-Sectional Studies
  • Depressive Disorder / diagnosis*
  • Depressive Disorder / epidemiology
  • Depressive Disorder / psychology
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Internal Medicine
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Patient Care Team*
  • Personality Inventory
  • Smoking / epidemiology
  • Smoking / psychology*