The predictors of coronaphobia among smokers admitted to a smoking cessation outpatient clinic

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Smoking is supposed to be one of the factors which contribute to the severity of Coronavirus disease. The aim of this study was to investigate the depression, anxiety, stress, and coronaphobia levels, and related factor in smokers who applied to a smoking cessation outpatient clinic in a training and research hospital. METHODS: A demographic information form, Coronavirus-19 Phobia Scale, Fagerstrom Nicotine Dependence Test and Depression Anxiety and Stress Scale were applied to the individuals admitted to a smoking cessation outpatient clinic. RESULTS: The sociodemographic characteristics effective on coronaphobia were age, gender, marital status, employment status, educational status, presence of another smoker at home, having an attempt to quit smoking previously. It has been observed that the presence of individuals who have suffered from COVID-19 or died due to COVID-19 among their relatives increased the level of coronaphobia, and it had been noticed that coronaphobia is associated with depression, anxiety, and stress in the present study. CONCLUSIONS: Being 40-60 years old, women, single, unemployed, graduating from primary school, living with another smoker at home, having an attempt to quit smoking were risk factors for coronaphobia in the present study. These smokers should be screened for coronaphobia.