Gender Differences in Terms of Psychological Symptoms and Nicotine Dependence among Smokers

INTRODUCTION: This study aims to determine the differences between genders in terms of nicotine dependence severity and psychological symptom levels in individuals applied to the smoking cessation clinic.
METHODS: This cross-sectional study was conducted in the smoking cessation outpatient clinic of Kackar State Hospital between June 1 and December 30, 2017. Sociodemographic form, Symptom Checklist-90-revised (SCL-90-R) and Fagerström Test for Nicotine Dependence (FTND) were administered to the partici-pants.
RESULTS: A total of 224 participants were enrolled in this study and 124 (55.4%) were male. The median FTND score was 7.0 [5.0-9.0] in female and 8.0 [6.0-8.0] in male (p=0.232). FTND score was associated with somatization symptom level of SCL-90-R and daily tea consumption in male participants (r=0.215 and p=0.017; r=0.244 and p<0.006). Also, the number of cigarettes smoked per day was associated with subgroups of SCL-90-R in male participants (r=0.193 and p=0.032 for somatization; r=0.177 and p=0.049 for depression; r=0.257 and p<0.004 for anxiety; r=0.225 and p=0.012 for phobic anxiety; r=0.238 and p=0.008 for psychoticism; r=0.272 and p=0.002 for additional symptoms; r=0.220 and p=0.014 for general symptoms.
DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: Clinicians should keep in mind that patients who want to quit smoking may also suffer from psychological symptoms that need to be addressed. There was no difference in the level of nicotine dependence between men and women smokers, however the psychological symptom levels were noted to be higher in women, and the severity of nicotine dependence was correlated with somatization score in men.