Smoking and depression, what if we talked about it?

The prevalence of smoking, whether regular or occasional, is higher among people suffering from depression, concludes the study published in theAmerican Journal of Preventive Medicine, in March 2020.

Looking at a sample of more than 860,000 regular and occasional smokers from 2005 to 2017, the researchers compared the evolution of quitting rates and smoking prevalence between subjects suffering from depression and non-affected subjects.

• For subjects with depression, the prevalence of occasional smoking remains constant (9.25% in 2005; 9.40% in 2017) while it decreases among those who are not affected (7.02% in 2005; 5.85% in 2017)

• For subjects with depression, the daily smoking prevalence decreases (25.21% in 2005; 15.11% in 2017), as does that for those without depression (14.94% in 2005; 9.76 in 2017);

• For subjects with depression, the dropout rate increases (28,61% in 2005; 39,75% in 2017), as for those who are not affected (47,65% in 2005; 53,09% in 2017).

At first glance, these ratios are reassuring, in that they allow us to conclude on an overall decrease in smoking prevalence, parallel to an increase in quitting rates, whatever the category. However, we note a disparity between subjects with and without depression. Patients suffering from depression would indeed be more inclined to remain in tobacco dependence.[1].

As this study sheds light on the inequalities affecting the subset of smokers suffering from depression, and on their vulnerability to addiction, health authorities are expected to innovate in terms of public health measures relating to the control and prevention of smoking, in the interests of effectiveness.[2].