Sex and age disparities in the influence of tobacco smoking on depression: Evidence from the Taiwan Biobank

INTRODUCTION: The global tobacco epidemic poses a notable challenge to global health due to its association with various tobacco-related diseases. Although tobacco smoking is associated with depression, the exact mechanism by which tobacco smoking increases the risk of depression is unclear. This study explored the potential effects of tobacco smoking on depression. METHODS: We used data in the analysis from the Taiwan Biobank of 27916 individuals recruited from 2015 to 2020. To investigate the associations between tobacco use and depression, the results of the depression-measuring subscale of the Patient Health Questionnaire-4 as well as data on participants’ tobacco consumption and other relevant covariates, were analyzed. RESULTS: Participants who smoked were more likely to report depression than those who did not smoke (AOR=1.50; 95% CI: 1.21–1.86). Furthermore, depression was significantly higher in women who smoked than in their male counterparts (females: AOR=1.68; 95% CI: 1.27–2.23, and males: AOR=1.32; 95% CI: 0.96–1.80). Women aged <55 years and who smoked were more likely to report depression, whereas this trend was not observed in those aged ≥55 years (<55 years: AOR=1.75; 95% CI: 1.23–2.48), and ≥55 years: AOR=1.58; 95% CI: 0.97–2.56). CONCLUSIONS: Tobacco smoking is a significant factor associated with depression, particularly in younger women. The increasing prevalence of tobacco use for years among younger women in Taiwan might contribute to shifts in the associations between depression and tobacco use in women.