THE EFFECT OF FEAR OF COVID-19 DISEASE ON SMOKING BEHAVIOR

Authors : Semiha Zeynep Özsaydı, İskender Gün

Pages : 290-300

Doi:10.35232/estudamhsd.1470283

View : 119 | Download : 65

Publication Date : 2024-11-01

Article Type : Research Paper

Abstract :This study aimed to examine the effects of fear of COVID-19 disease on individuals\' smoking behavior. Between April and July 2021, 384 patients who applied to family health centers in Kayseri Melikgazi district were administered a questionnaire, the fear of COVID-19 Scale (FCV-19S), and the Fagerström Nicotine Dependence Test (FNDT). Mann-Whitney U and Kruskal Wallis tests were used to compare the groups, Spearman correlation analysis was used to evaluate the correlation of numerical data, chi-square tests were used to analyze categorical data. The median FCV-19S score of the group was 16.0 (min:7-max:35). During the pandemic, 79.1% of the participants had no change in their smoking status. The proportion of smokers who reduced the amount of cigarettes they smoked was higher in those who reported deaths in their circle of friends and relatives due to COVID-19 and in those with lower FNDT scores (p<0.05). Among those who thought that COVID-19 was more severe in smokers, the proportion of those who were motivated to quit smoking was higher than those who did not think so (p<0.001). A negative relationship was found between the fear of COVID-19 and the amount of cigarettes smoked per day. It was observed that people who thought that COVID-19 was more severe in smokers were more motivated to quit smoking. The COVID-19 pandemic can be used as an opportunity to encourage people to quit smoking.
Keywords : COVID 19, COVID 19 korkusu, sigara içme davranışı, sigara bırakma motivasyonu

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