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Cited by 99Smoking Behavior and CessationSubstance Abuse Treatment and OutcomesCardiac Health and Mental Health

The effect of stopping smoking on perceived stress levels

Hajek, Peter, Taylor, Tamara, McRobbie, Hayden·2010·Addiction
DOI 10.1111/j.1360-0443.2010.02979.x
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Abstract

Aims Many smokers believe that smoking helps them to cope with stress, and that stopping smoking would deprive them of an effective stress management tool. Changes in stress levels following long‐term smoking cessation are not well mapped. This longitudinal project was designed to provide more robust data on post‐cessation changes in perceived stress levels by following a cohort of smokers admitted to hospital after myocardial infarction (MI) or for coronary artery bypass (CAB) surgery, as such patients typically achieve higher continuous abstinence rates than other comparable samples. Design A total of 469 smokers hospitalized after MI or CAB surgery and wanting to stop smoking were seen in the hospital and completed 1‐year follow‐ups. Ratings of helpfulness of smoking in managing stress at baseline, smoking status (validated by salivary cotinine concentration) and ratings of perceived stress at baseline and at 1‐year follow‐up were collected. Findings Of the patients, 41% (n = 194) maintained abstinence for 1 year. Future abstainers and future smokers did not differ in baseline stress levels or in their perception of coping properties of smoking. However, abstainers recorded a significantly larger decrease in perceived stress than continuing smokers, and the result held when possible confounding factors were controlled for (P < 0.001). Conclusions In highly dependent smokers who report that smoking helps them cope with stress, smoking cessation is associated with lowering of stress. Whatever immediate effects smoking may have on perceived stress, overall it may generate or aggravate negative emotional states. The results provide reassurance to smokers worried that stopping smoking may deprive them of a valuable coping resource.

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  • Despite smokers stating that they smoke to cope with stress, higher levels of stress have been found among smokers, which then declines with smoking cessation.

    “However, despite smokers stating that they smoke to cope with stress, higher levels of stress have been found among smokers, 104 which then declines with smoking cessation.105”

    From Evaluating Long-term Outcomes of NHS Stop Smoking Services (ELONS): a prospective cohort study (2015) · cites this paper as [105]

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Related

Authors
Hajek, P., Taylor, T., & McRobbie, H.
Affiliations
Queen Mary University of London (GB)
Corresponding author
McRobbie, Hayden
ORCID
McRobbie, Hayden
Venue
Addiction
Publisher
Wiley
Published
2010-07-09
Volume
105
Issue
8
Pages
1466-1471
ISSN
  • 0965-2140 (ISSN-L)
  • 1360-0443
DOI
10.1111/j.1360-0443.2010.02979.x
OpenAlex
W1522100687
Cited by
99
References
34
Citations by year
2026: 3 · 2025: 5 · 2024: 4 · 2023: 10 · 2022: 6 · 2021: 8 · 2020: 6 · 2019: 7 · 2018: 6 · 2017: 6 · 2016: 8 · 2015: 8 · 2014: 4 · 2013: 7 · 2012: 5
FWCI
3.90
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
closed
Licence
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/termsAndConditions#vor (vor)
Locations
  • Addiction (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
Funders
Economic and Social Research Council (ES/G007489/1)
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Physiology › Smoking Behavior and Cessation
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Epidemiology › Substance Abuse Treatment and Outcomes
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Cardiology and Cardiovascular Medicine › Cardiac Health and Mental Health
Keywords
smoking cessation, perceived stress, stress coping, myocardial infarction, coronary artery bypass grafting, salivary cotinine, emotional well-being
MeSH terms
Adaptation, Psychological, Adolescent, Coronary Artery Bypass, Attitude to Health, Cotinine, Female, Hospitalization, Humans, Longitudinal Studies, Male, Middle Aged, Myocardial Infarction, Perception, Regression Analysis, Saliva, Smoking, Stress, Psychological, Substance Withdrawal Syndrome, Smoking Cessation

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