Akademik Veri Yönetim Sistemi
Turkish Journal of Tobacco Control, cilt.5, sa.3, ss.95-107, 2025 (Hakemli Dergi)
Introduction: Smoking addiction is a multidimensional process resulting from the combination of many factors that mutually influence and reinforce each other. Physical addiction to cigarettes progresses through stages of craving, longing, and need, with increased addiction levels making cigarette cravings more difficult to resist. This progression in physical dependence is accompanied by a corresponding increase in heightened psychological dependence, which constitutes an additional dimension of tobacco addiction. The stressful environment of medical education necessitates examining the nicotine dependence of students. In our study, we aimed to assess nicotine dependence in medical students by examining both the physical and psychological dimensions of smoking behavior within this population.
Methods: This is a cross-sectional study conducted with 169 medical students enrolled at a medical school in Turkey. Data were collected using a questionnaire including sociodemographic information, the Fagerström Test for Nicotine Dependence (FTND), and the Test to Assess the Psychological Dependence on Smoking (TAPDS).
Categorical variables are reported as n (%), and continuous variables as mean ± SD or median (IQR). The Kolmogorov-Smirnov test was employed to assess the normality of the distribution. For group comparisons based on normal distribution, independent samples t-test, one-way ANOVA, Mann-Whitney U test, and Kruskal-Wallis test were used. Multiple linear regression analysis was performed to identify independent predictors of the TAPDS score.
Results: The median score on the FTND was 3.0 (IQR 1.0-6.0). The mean TAPDS score was 49.40 ± 9.98.The age at smoking initiation was significantly higher in females compared to males (p=0.039), while the number of cigarettes smoked per day was significantly lower (p=0.015).A moderate positive correlation was found between FTND and TAPDS scores (r=0.459, p<0.001). In the multiple linear regression model including number of cigarettes smoked per day, age at smoking initiation and FTND scores, only FTND score remained significantly associated with TAPDS score (B=1.668; p<0.001)
Conclusions: An increase in one form of dependence affects the other as well. In our study, a significant association was found between TAPDS and FTND scores. This highlights the importance of holistic approaches targeting both physical and psychological components in interventions for smoking dependence.