The Lebanese Cigarette Dependence (LCD) Score: a comprehensive tool for cigarette dependence assessment

Area of Science:

• Addiction research
• Psychometrics
• Public health

Background:

• Cigarette smoking is a significant public health concern, leading to nicotine dependence.
• Accurate assessment of nicotine dependence is crucial for developing effective cessation interventions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To validate the Fagerström test for nicotine dependence (FTND) in the Lebanese population.
• To develop and evaluate a new scale, the Lebanon Cigarette Dependence (LCD) scale, incorporating DSM-IV and ICD-10 criteria for a more comprehensive assessment of nicotine dependence.

Main Methods:

• Utilized data from two distinct samples: a national cross-sectional study and a case-control study.
• Administered a standardized questionnaire including the FTND and the newly developed LCD scale.
• Performed exploratory factor analysis on the first sample and confirmatory factor analysis on the second sample to assess psychometric properties.

Main Results:

• The FTND demonstrated satisfactory psychometric properties within the Lebanese population.
• The LCD scale exhibited superior validity and reliability compared to the FTND.
• The LCD scale showed a stronger negative correlation with the number of quit attempts, indicating better capture of dependence severity.

Conclusions:

• The FTND is a usable tool for assessing nicotine dependence in Lebanon.
• The LCD scale is recommended as a potentially more effective and comprehensive instrument for evaluating cigarette dependence in this population.