[Stress and smoking in treatment-seeking smokers]

Fear of not controlling stress is the most frequently reported obstacle to smoking cessation. We report a retrospective study involving 70 smokers whose files were randomly selected from a smoking cessation clinic's recruitment. Stress management as a motive to smoke (SMMS) was systematically explored at the first visit, before quit date. SMMS mean score was 7.36 (+/- 2.4) on a 10 point scale. The score was higher in females than in males (p = 0,048). A multivariate logistic regression showed that SMMS was explained by two variables: physical dependence as measured with the FTND score (OR = 1.7, 95% CI = 1.18-2.46), and anxiety as measured with the HAD scale (OR = 1.27, 95% CI = 1.03-1.56). In conclusion, the high frequency and impact of perceived stress on smoking behavior call for a systematic clinical evaluation of perceived stress when engaging a treatment for smoking dependence. Our work has confirmed the importance for the smokers of perceived stress on their smoking behavior, particularly in females. Perceived stress showed a strong relationship with nicotine dependence and anxiety. Further investigation is warranted for a better understanding of the relationship between perceived stress and anxiety in smokers.