https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8666-6468
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Abstract
Introduction
Stress and depressive symptoms have been linked to a reduced likelihood of sustaining smoking cessation. Because stress and depressive symptoms may negatively affect motivation to quit, stress and depression may also be important for whether or not smokers make a quit attempt.
Objective
To examine the relationship between perceived stress and depressive symptoms and initiating a quit attempt in a smoking cessation induction trial.
Methods
We conducted a secondary analysis of existing data from a randomized clinical trial (N = 255) comparing motivational interviewing to health education and brief advice for smoking cessation induction in smokers with low motivation to quit.
Results
We observed positive associations between baseline predictors and quit attempts at week 12 (r = 0.192, p < 0.01 for depressive symptoms and r = 0.136, p < 0.05 for perceived stress). Logistic regression models revealed similar significant positive associations between baseline perceived stress and baseline depressive symptoms and making a quit attempt by week 12 (OR = 1.5, CI:1.03, 2.19 and OR = 1.03, 95% CI: 1.01, 1.06; respectively).
Conclusion
Unexpectedly, this study found generally small but consistently positive associations between baseline depressive symptoms and baseline perceived stress and making a quit attempt by week 12. The results can be viewed as encouraging in that interventions to encourage quit attempts do not appear counter-productive for individuals higher in stress and depressive symptoms, but these patients very likely will need additional supports to sustain abstinence.
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Acknowledgements
This research was funded by the National Cancer Institute (NCI) grant R01CA133068; its contents are solely the responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institutes of Health.
Disclosure of interest
The authors report no conflict of interest.
Data availability statement
The data that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author, EA, upon reasonable request.