Volume 27, Issue 137, July 2023

The effects of self-perceived stress on smoking status and dependence among primary healthcare visitors in Makkah city, 2023

Haneen Ahmed Bukhari^1♦, Jehad Helal Alqurashi²

¹Preventive Medicine Resident, Preventive Medicine Residency Program, Makkah, Saudi Arabia
ORCID: 0009-0001-4996-7234
²Consultant Preventive Medicine, RTP Director of Preventive Medicine of SCFHS, Makkah, Saudi Arabia
ORCID: 0009-0000-7154-5305

^♦Corresponding author
Preventive Medicine Resident, Preventive Medicine Residency Program, Makkah, Saudi Arabia
ORCID: 0009-0001-4996-7234

ABSTRACT

Background: Tobacco use results in more than eight million fatalities annually. By 2030, if global smoking patterns remain unchanged, more people will perish annually from diseases linked to tobacco use. Objectives: To measure the effect of self-perceived stress on the status and dependence of smoking among the general population of Makkah, Saudi Arabia. Methods: The present study was done in Makkah city over a six-month period, using a stratified random sampling method to select participants. All individuals aged 18 years and above were eligible to participate in the study with the exception of those who enrolled in a smoking cessation program. Information was obtained through interviews using a questionnaire, with nicotine dependence being evaluated using the Fagerström Test. Results: Our study involved 190 participants, with over half of them being male. Of those surveyed, 28.4% reported smoking. The nicotine dependence average score was calculated to be 4.1±2.48. According to the Perceived Stress Scale, the average stress score was 16.4±6.7, and most of the respondents demonstrated moderate levels of stress (57.9%). A significant association was observed between nicotine dependence and level of stress (P = 0.033). Individuals who had multiple relapses after quitting smoking trials showed significantly higher levels of stress (P = 0.010). Conclusion: The study found that people of the city of Makkah, experienced moderate levels of self-perceived stress, and a significant proportion of them were smokers with a high prevalence of smoking. The study emphasizes the necessity of taking actions to decrease smoking rates and encourage healthier lifestyles.

Keywords: Self-perceived stress, smoking, association, Makkah, dependence

Medical Science, 2023, 27, e306ms3075

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DOI: https://doi.org/10.54905/disssi/v27i137/e306ms3075

Published: 24 July 2023