Depressive, not anxiety, symptoms are associated with current cigarette smoking among university internal medical patients.
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.
Kick
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SD
Department of Psychiatry and Medicine, University of Colorado Health Sciences Center, Denver 80262, USA.
Cooley
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DD
D000046:Academic Medical Centers; D000328:Adult; D001008:Anxiety Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D003120:Colorado / Q000453:epidemiology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007388:Internal Medicine; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010348:Patient Care Team; D010555:Personality Inventory; D012907:Smoking / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology*