title: Gender Differences in Relations of Smoking Status, Depression, and Suicidality in Korea: Findings from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2008-2012.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  As mental health problems may play an important role in initiating and maintaining cigarette smoking in females and there are an increasing number of female smokers, we evaluated the relationship between smoking status and mental health problems including depression and suicide ideation in women in Korea.
  
  
  METHODS
  We analyzed the 5-year cumulative data (19 years of age or older, n=32,184) from the Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES) conducted from 2008 to 2012. Logistic regression analyses were used to evaluate associations between cigarette smoking status and mental health parameters while controlling for potentially confounding variables.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Among current smokers, females showed higher lifetime prevalence in having a depressive episode, a doctor-diagnosed major depression, a current diagnosis of depression, or receiving treatment for depression in comparison with males. In addition, females were more likely to report on having a depressive episode, suicidal ideation and attempts, and psychiatric counselling within the previous year, as compared to males. Female former smokers showed intermediate characteristics in parameters of mental health status within the previous year, ranking between lifetime non-smokers and the current smokers.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Identifying the factors related to mental health status among current smokers can increase opportunities for an early intervention and help reduce the prevalence of smoking and increase smoking cessation rates particularly in females. Developing adaptive coping strategies other than smoking in female youth is potentially important in reducing the initiation of smoking.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Chung-Ang University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Sun Mi
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Chung-Ang University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Jae-Woo
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Jung
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Chung-Ang University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: In-Won
authors.initials: IW
authors.lastname: Park
authors.affiliation: Division of Pulmonology, Department of Internal Medicine, Kangnam Severance Hospital, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Chul Min
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Ahn
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Chonnam National University Hospital, Gwangju, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Yu-Il
authors.initials: YI
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Konkuk University School of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Kwang-Ha
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Yoo
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Ewha Womans University School of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Eun Mi
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Chun
authors.affiliation: Division of Pulmonology, Department of Internal Medicine, Institute of Chest Disease, Severance Hospital, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Ji Ye
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Jung
authors.affiliation: Division of Pulmonology, Department of Internal Medicine, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Young Sik
authors.initials: YS
authors.lastname: Park
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Ajou University School of Medicine, Suwon, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Ju-Heon
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Park
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Chung-Ang University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Jae Yeol
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Kim
keywords: Depression; Female smokers; Gender differences; Suicidality; Tobacco smoking