Document Type : Original Article(s)

Authors

• Hamidreza Roohafza ¹
• Maryam Shahnam ²
• Behzad Zolfaghari ³
• Aliakbar Tavassoli ⁴
• Masoumeh Sadeghi ⁵
• Hamidreza Toloei ⁵
• Gholamhosein Sadri ⁶
• Nizal Sarrafzadegan ⁷

¹ MD, Assistant Professor of Psychiatry. Isfahan Cardiovascular Research Center, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran.

² MD, Research Assistant, Isfahan Cardiovascular Research Center, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran.

³ Assistant Professor, Department of Pharmacognosy, University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan,Iran

⁴ Associate Professor of Cardiology, School of Medicine, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran

⁵ MD, Associate Professor of Cardiology, Cardiac Rehabilitation Research Center, Isfahan Cardiovascular Research Institute, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran

⁶ MD, Pharmacist, Preventive Medicine Department, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran.

⁷ MD, Professor of Cardiology, Isfahan Cardiovascular Research Centre, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran.

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Individuals are faced with numerous stressful life events which can negatively influence mental health. Many individuals use smoking as a means of confronting stress. Given the relatively high prevalence of smoking in central Iran, the present study was conducted to compare stress levels in smokers, non-smokers and those who had quit smoking.    METHODS: This study was conducted as part of Isfahan Cardiovascular Research Program on 9752 individuals in the cities of Isfahan, Arak, and Najafabad in 2008. Sampling was performed using multi-stage cluster randomization method. Data on age, sex, demographic characteristics, and smoking status was collected through interviews. Stress level detected by General Health questionnaire.Logistic regression and chi- squere test was used for data analyzing.    RESULTS: In the present study, 30% of non-smokers, 32.1% ex- smoker and 36.9% of smokers had GHQ of 4 and higher (P = 0.01). In regression analysis, the final model which was controlled for age, sex, socioeconomic statues (including place of residence, marital status and education level) showed that the odds ratio of stress in smokers and ex- smoker was significantly higher than in non-smokers (OR = 1.66 and OR = 1.12, respectively).    CONCLUSION: Since in conducted studies, mental problems and stresses have had an important role in people’s smoking, it seems suitable to use the results of this study to present intervention for correct methods of coping with stress towards reducing the prevalence of smoking in the community.Keywords: Cigarette, Stress, Community-based Program.