Cigarette smoking in an adolescent psychiatric population.
OBJECTIVE
To examine the relationship between cigarette smoking and psychiatric symptomatology in an outpatient psychiatric population of adolescents.


METHODS
A retrospective analysis was done of 934 patient charts at an outpatient psychiatric centre.


RESULTS
48.4% of the psychiatric sample reported regular smoking behaviour, which is substantially more than the 18.1% prevalence found in a local epidemiological study. In comparing smokers and non-smokers within the psychiatric sample, it was noted that smokers were significantly younger and scored somewhat higher on depression rating scales than non-smokers. A logistical regression, using quasi-Newton estimation, was chosen as the most suitable statistical method for building a classificatory model of smoking. Two continuous variables, age and the Hamilton depression score, along with 39 discrete variables, were chosen for modelling purposes. Model building was conducted in a hierarchical fashion, starting with demographic variables, the variable selection being controlled by using chi-square tests of model differences. A predictive model of smoking with nine variables was finally selected.


CONCLUSIONS
As a whole the results support the strong association between smoking and psychiatric problems, but in this adolescent sample smoking is more likely to be part of a general risk-taking behaviour pattern than an attempt to medicate depression. Anti-tobacco campaigns that highlight the risks of smoking are therefore open invitations for adolescents to take up the habit.
Bérard
Raymond M F
RM
Department of Psychiatry, University of Cape Town.
Lockhart
Ian A
IA
Boermeester
Frank
F
Tredoux
Colin
C
D000293:Adolescent; D000294:Adolescent Behavior / Q000523:psychology; D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology*; D010045:Outpatients / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D015995:Prevalence; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012309:Risk-Taking; D012907:Smoking / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology*; D014029:Tobacco Use Disorder / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology*