title: The influence of occupational stress factors on nicotine dependence among students of health and nonhealth care professional colleges.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To study the relationship between perceived job stress measured using Effort-Reward Imbalance (ERI) scale and nicotine dependence using Fagerström Test for Nicotine Dependence (FTND) scale among students of health and nonhealth care professional colleges.
  
  
  METHODS
  A descriptive cross-sectional study was carried on convenient sample of 408 health and nonhealth care professional who were current smokers. Nicotine dependence was measured using the FTND. The extent of the stress factors experienced at work was assessed using the ERI. Chi-square test and logistic regression were used for the statistical analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Occupational stress factors are actually associated with higher levels of nicotine dependence (odds ratio = 4.523). The degree of nicotine dependence and stress imbalance was found to be more among health care professional students as compared to nonhealth care professional students (P < 0.05). Being religious was found to have a significant effect in reducing nicotine dependence.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Being religious, having low occupational stress and being nonhealth care professional have a significant effect on the prevention of nicotine dependence.
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health Dentistry, National Dental College and Hospital, Dera Bassi, Punjab, India.
authors.forename: Amandeep
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Chopra
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health Dentistry, Teerthankar Dental College, Moradabad, Uttar Pradesh, India.
authors.forename: Manav
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lakhanpal
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health Dentistry, SDDHDC, Panchkula, India.
authors.forename: Nidhi
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Gupta
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health Dentistry, MM Dental College, Mullana, India.
authors.forename: Varun
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Suri
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health Dentistry, SDDHDC, Panchkula, India.
authors.forename: Gurwant
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Kaur
authors.affiliation: Private Dental Practitioner, Conservative and Endodontist, Ambala, Haryana, India.
authors.forename: Swati
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bhudhiraja
keywords: Effort-Reward Imbalance; Fagerström Test for Nicotine Dependence; health and nonhealth care; job stress; nicotine dependence; professional students