Nicotine Dependence and Internal Response to Stress in Male Smokers

Pack, Han Ju; Kim, Jong Sung; Kim, Kyoung Min; Kim, Seong Min; Lee, Dong Hoon; Kim, Sung Soo; Jung, Jin Gyu

Abstract

BACKGROUND: This study investigated the relationship between stress and nicotine dependence, dividing stress into external stress and internal response.
METHODS
The subjects were 263 male adults who had visited the General Health Promotion Center at Chungnam National University Hospital in Korea between April and June 2005. Nicotine dependence, external stress and internal response were measured by the Fagerstrom test for nicotine dependence, life change unit of the social readjustment rating scale and the brief encounter psychosocial instrument.
RESULTS
The mean (+/-SD) score of external stress in smokers (n=107) was 150.79 (+/-109.02), which was significantly (P<0.001) higher than 92.96 (+/-126.27) in non- smokers, and the mean (+/-SD) score of internal response in smokers was 10.30 (+/-3.16), which was also significantly (P<0.001) higher than 8.71 (+/-3.33) in non-smokers. The smokers' nicotine dependence showed positive correlation with the score of external stress (r=0.436, P<0.001) and the score of internal response (r=0.579, P<0.001). The stepwise multiple regression analysis showed that nicotine dependence was related to the score of internal response, the score of external stress, the duration of education, the age of first smoking (overall R2=0.433, P=0.040), and most closely to the score of internal response (partial R2=0.335, P<0.001).
CONCLUSION
In order to develop an effective strategy for quitting smoking, the internal response to stress needs to be considered as one of evaluation items.