Associations of depression and neuroticism with smoking behavior and motives among men in rural Qalyubia [Egypt]

ABSTRACT

Smoking addiction is influenced by cultural and environmental factors and personalitytraits. We assessed the associations between neuroticism and depression andsmoking behavior and motives among Egyptian adult men in rural QalyubiaGovernorate.Using a cross-sectional design, we administered questionnaires to randomly selected201, 278, and 120 adult men aged 18 years or above who were never, current,and former smokers, respectively. We used Center for Epidemiologic Studies ShortDepression [CES-D] scale, Eysenck Personality Inventory [EPI], Fagerstrom Test forNicotine Dependence [FIND], and Wisconsin Inventory of Smoking DependenceMotives scales to assess the associations between neuroticism, depression,and smoking risk.The mean CES-D and EPI scores were significantly higher among current smokers ascompared with never smokers [P=0.02 and 0.006, respectively], The greatest risk forever smoking was observed among those with both neuroticism and depression[adjusted odds ratio [95% confidence interval] were 1.98 [1.23-3.19]; 2.56 [1.34-4.88]; and 1.82 [1.10-3.03] for ever, former, and current smokers,respectively]. Both CES-D and EPI scores were associated with a variety of smokingmotives and with the level of severity or intensity of nicotine dependence on FTND.Neuroticism and depression were associated with smoking behavior and motivesamong Egyptians, and thus attention should be given to individual needs in designingand implementing smoking cessation interventions: