Predictors of the Perception of Smoking Health Risks in Smokers With or Without Schizophrenia

Abstract

Objective This study sought to examine the predictors of health risk perception in smokers with or without schizophrenia. Methods The health risk subscale from the Smoking Consequences Questionnaire was dichotomized and used to measure health risk perception in smokers with (n = 67) and without schizophrenia (n = 100). A backward stepwise logistic regression was conducted using variables associated at the bivariate level to determine multivariate predictors. Results Overall, 62.5% of smokers without schizophrenia and 40.3% of smokers with schizophrenia completely recognize the health risks of smoking (p ≤ .01). Multivariate predictors for smokers without schizophrenia included: sex (Exp (B) = .3; p < .05), Smoking Consequences Questionnaire state enhancement (Exp (B) = .69; p < .01), and craving relief (Exp (B) = 1.8; p < .01). Among smokers with schizophrenia, predictors were education (Exp (B) = .7; p < .05), nicotine dependence (Exp (B) = .5; p < .01), motivation to quit (Exp (B) = 1.8; p < .01), and Smoking Consequences Questionnaire craving relief (Exp (B) = 1.8; p < .01). Conclusions There was overlap and differences between predictors in smokers with and without schizophrenia. Commonly used techniques for education on the health consequences of cigarettes may work in smokers with schizophrenia, but intervention efforts specifically tailored to smokers with schizophrenia might be more efficacious.

Smoking-Related Health Beliefs in a Sample of Psychiatric Patients: Factors Associated with the Health Beliefs and Validation of the Health Belief Questionnaire

“…Greillier et al [60] studied the relationship between ND and risk perception towards cancer and showed that those with ND had a higher risk perception. Similar results were reported by Kowalczyk et al [61] in a sample of the psychiatric population. Higher risk perception and dependence in the absence of perceived benefits will be a challenge to smoking cessation as groups with these traits experience higher craving, withdrawal, and depressive symptoms during cessation that negatively affect their abstinence [34,48].…”

“…ND is strongly associated with a higher perception of risk. This observation is in agreement with the reported studies in smokers [20,53,60,61]. Greillier et al [60] studied the relationship between ND and risk perception towards cancer and showed that those with ND had a higher risk perception.…”

Unraveling the Association Between Schizophrenia and Substance Use Disorder-Predictors, Mechanisms and Treatment Modifications: A Systematic Review

“…Some neuroimaging studies have suggested that substance abuse complicates research into the neurological underpinnings of schizophrenia [ 7 , 23 ]. Quinn et al study observed gray matter volume deficits in all expected regions, typically observed in Voxel-Based Morphometry (VBM) studies of schizophrenia except in the cingulate and insula.…”

“…Kowalczyk et al study shows that many smokers with schizophrenia have a poor comprehension of the detrimental impacts of smoking, with just 40% of that group fully comprehending the potential for health problems. More research is needed on scholarly programs and individualized psychosocial treatments based on how well different clinical subgroups grasp the dangers of smoking [ 23 ].…”

Reducing Smoking Among People With Schizophrenia: Perspectives on Priorities for Advancing Research

“…While smokers with schizophrenia report being as interested in quitting as their peers without psychiatric comorbidity (20), the field needs to do better in increasing the number of quit attempts, and, importantly, increasing the number of appropriately aided quit attempts. An empirically validated approach likely to be useful in this endeavor is Motivational Interviewing (MI) (21).…”