The association between COVID-19 anxiety levels and tobacco use among patients within a smoking cessation polyclinic

INTRODUCTION: The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the anxiety level of smokers and the relationship between smoking behavior and COVID-19 anxiety level. METHODS: Our study was planned as a descriptive cross-sectional survey. A 32-question face-to-face questionnaire containing the Coronavirus Anxiety Scale (CAS) and the Fagerström test for nicotine dependence (FTND) was administered to 349 patients who had applied to the smoking cessation polyclinic between 15 May 2021 and 1 August 2021. SPSS 25.00 was used for statistical analysis. RESULTS: A total of 349 individuals participated in the study. The mean CAS and FTND total scores were 0.89±2.13 (range: 0–20) and 6.34±2.53 (range: 0–10), respectively. There was a statistically significant difference between CAS total score and gender (p=0.005), marital status (p=0.006), changes in the amount of smoking during the pandemic (p=0.011), and impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on smoking cessation (p<0.001). The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on smoking cessation was statistically significantly different between knowing that the rate of intensive care unit (ICU) admissions due to COVID-19 infection is higher in smokers, smokers are heavily infected with COVID-19 and the mortality rate due to COVID-19 infection is higher in smokers (p<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Anxiety due to the COVID-19 pandemic may cause a change in the amount of smoking and the decision to quit smoking. Healthcare professionals should transform COVID-19 anxiety into an opportunity to improve health and quit smoking, one of the healthy behaviors.