title: Smoking habits and nicotine dependence of North Korean male defectors.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The smoking rates and patterns in the North Korean population are not well known. More than 20,000 North Korean defectors have settled in South Korea; thus, we can estimate the current North Korean smoking situation using this group.
  
  
  METHODS
  All North Korean defectors spend their first 3 months in a South Korean facility learning to adapt to their new home. We retrospectively analyzed the results from a questionnaire conducted among North Korean male defectors in this facility from August 2012 to February 2014.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of 272 men, 84.2% were current smokers, 12.5% were ex-smokers, and 3.3% were non-smokers. The mean age of this group was 35.9 ± 11.3 years, and smoking initiation occurred at a mean age of 18.2 ± 4.7 years. Among the subjects, 78.1% had a family member who smoked. Of the 221 current smokers, 67.4% responded that they intended to quit smoking. Fagerström test and Kano test for social nicotine dependence (KTSND) results for current smokers were 3.35 ± 2.26 and 13.76 ± 4.87, respectively. Question 9 on the KTSND (doctors exaggerate the ill effects of smoking) earned a significantly higher score relative to the other questions and a significantly higher score in current smokers compared with non-smokers.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The smoking rate in North Korean male defectors was higher than that indicated previously. However, interest in smoking cessation was high and nicotine dependence was less severe than expected. Further investigation is needed to identify an efficient method for North Korean smokers to stop smoking.
authors.affiliation: Division of Pulmonology, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Sei Won
authors.initials: SW
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Division of Pulmonology, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Jong Min
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Division of Pulmonology, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Woo Ho
authors.initials: WH
authors.lastname: Ban
authors.affiliation: Division of Pulmonology, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Chan Kwon
authors.initials: CK
authors.lastname: Park
authors.affiliation: Division of Pulmonology, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Hyoung Kyu
authors.initials: HK
authors.lastname: Yoon
authors.affiliation: Division of Pulmonology, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Sang Haak
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Lee
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D056911:Democratic People's Republic of Korea / Q000453:epidemiology; D006184:Habits; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D033182:Intention; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012036:Refugees / Q000523:psychology; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D066106:Seoul / Q000453:epidemiology; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D012907:Smoking / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D016540:Smoking Cessation; D000074606:Smoking Prevention; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014029:Tobacco Use Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: North Korean defectors; Smoking; Smoking cessation; Tobacco use disorder