Frontiers in Psychiatry (Jan 2023)
The experience of tobacco withdrawal symptoms among current smokers and ex-smokers in the general population: Findings from nationwide China Health Literacy Survey during 2018-19
- Zi-yang Cui,
- Zi-yang Cui,
- Zi-yang Cui,
- Zi-yang Cui,
- Zi-yang Cui,
- Zi-yang Cui,
- Ying-hua Li,
- Zhao Liu,
- Zhao Liu,
- Zhao Liu,
- Zhao Liu,
- Zhao Liu,
- Li Li,
- Xue-qiong Nie,
- Xin-mei Zhou,
- Xin-mei Zhou,
- Xin-mei Zhou,
- Xin-mei Zhou,
- Xin-mei Zhou,
- An-qi Cheng,
- An-qi Cheng,
- An-qi Cheng,
- An-qi Cheng,
- An-qi Cheng,
- Jin-xuan Li,
- Jin-xuan Li,
- Jin-xuan Li,
- Jin-xuan Li,
- Jin-xuan Li,
- Jin-xuan Li,
- Rui Qin,
- Rui Qin,
- Rui Qin,
- Rui Qin,
- Rui Qin,
- Rui Qin,
- Xiao-wen Wei,
- Xiao-wen Wei,
- Xiao-wen Wei,
- Xiao-wen Wei,
- Xiao-wen Wei,
- Xiao-wen Wei,
- Liang Zhao,
- Liang Zhao,
- Liang Zhao,
- Liang Zhao,
- Liang Zhao,
- Daniella Ladmore,
- Francesca Pesola,
- Kian Fan Chung,
- Zheng-ming Chen,
- Peter Hajek,
- Dan Xiao,
- Dan Xiao,
- Dan Xiao,
- Dan Xiao,
- Dan Xiao,
- Dan Xiao,
- Chen Wang,
- Chen Wang,
- Chen Wang,
- Chen Wang,
- Chen Wang
Affiliations
- Zi-yang Cui
- Department of Tobacco Control and Prevention of Respiratory Diseases, Center of Respiratory Medicine, China-Japan Friendship Hospital, Beijing, China
- Zi-yang Cui
- WHO Collaborating Center for Tobacco Cessation and Respiratory Diseases Prevention, Beijing, China
- Zi-yang Cui
- National Clinical Research Center for Respiratory Diseases, Beijing, China
- Zi-yang Cui
- Institute of Respiratory Medicine, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
- Zi-yang Cui
- National Center for Respiratory Medicine, Beijing, China
- Zi-yang Cui
- Graduate School of Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
- Ying-hua Li
- China Health Education Center, Beijing, China
- Zhao Liu
- Department of Tobacco Control and Prevention of Respiratory Diseases, Center of Respiratory Medicine, China-Japan Friendship Hospital, Beijing, China
- Zhao Liu
- WHO Collaborating Center for Tobacco Cessation and Respiratory Diseases Prevention, Beijing, China
- Zhao Liu
- National Clinical Research Center for Respiratory Diseases, Beijing, China
- Zhao Liu
- Institute of Respiratory Medicine, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
- Zhao Liu
- National Center for Respiratory Medicine, Beijing, China
- Li Li
- China Health Education Center, Beijing, China
- Xue-qiong Nie
- China Health Education Center, Beijing, China
- Xin-mei Zhou
- Department of Tobacco Control and Prevention of Respiratory Diseases, Center of Respiratory Medicine, China-Japan Friendship Hospital, Beijing, China
- Xin-mei Zhou
- WHO Collaborating Center for Tobacco Cessation and Respiratory Diseases Prevention, Beijing, China
- Xin-mei Zhou
- National Clinical Research Center for Respiratory Diseases, Beijing, China
- Xin-mei Zhou
- Institute of Respiratory Medicine, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
- Xin-mei Zhou
- National Center for Respiratory Medicine, Beijing, China
- An-qi Cheng
- Department of Tobacco Control and Prevention of Respiratory Diseases, Center of Respiratory Medicine, China-Japan Friendship Hospital, Beijing, China
- An-qi Cheng
- WHO Collaborating Center for Tobacco Cessation and Respiratory Diseases Prevention, Beijing, China
- An-qi Cheng
- National Clinical Research Center for Respiratory Diseases, Beijing, China
- An-qi Cheng
- Institute of Respiratory Medicine, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
- An-qi Cheng
- National Center for Respiratory Medicine, Beijing, China
- Jin-xuan Li
- Department of Tobacco Control and Prevention of Respiratory Diseases, Center of Respiratory Medicine, China-Japan Friendship Hospital, Beijing, China
- Jin-xuan Li
- WHO Collaborating Center for Tobacco Cessation and Respiratory Diseases Prevention, Beijing, China
- Jin-xuan Li
- National Clinical Research Center for Respiratory Diseases, Beijing, China
- Jin-xuan Li
- Institute of Respiratory Medicine, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
- Jin-xuan Li
- National Center for Respiratory Medicine, Beijing, China
- Jin-xuan Li
- China-Japan Friendship School of Clinical Medicine, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
- Rui Qin
- Department of Tobacco Control and Prevention of Respiratory Diseases, Center of Respiratory Medicine, China-Japan Friendship Hospital, Beijing, China
- Rui Qin
- WHO Collaborating Center for Tobacco Cessation and Respiratory Diseases Prevention, Beijing, China
- Rui Qin
- National Clinical Research Center for Respiratory Diseases, Beijing, China
- Rui Qin
- Institute of Respiratory Medicine, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
- Rui Qin
- National Center for Respiratory Medicine, Beijing, China
- Rui Qin
- Graduate School of Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
- Xiao-wen Wei
- Department of Tobacco Control and Prevention of Respiratory Diseases, Center of Respiratory Medicine, China-Japan Friendship Hospital, Beijing, China
- Xiao-wen Wei
- WHO Collaborating Center for Tobacco Cessation and Respiratory Diseases Prevention, Beijing, China
- Xiao-wen Wei
- National Clinical Research Center for Respiratory Diseases, Beijing, China
- Xiao-wen Wei
- Institute of Respiratory Medicine, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
- Xiao-wen Wei
- National Center for Respiratory Medicine, Beijing, China
- Xiao-wen Wei
- China-Japan Friendship School of Clinical Medicine, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
- Liang Zhao
- Department of Tobacco Control and Prevention of Respiratory Diseases, Center of Respiratory Medicine, China-Japan Friendship Hospital, Beijing, China
- Liang Zhao
- WHO Collaborating Center for Tobacco Cessation and Respiratory Diseases Prevention, Beijing, China
- Liang Zhao
- National Clinical Research Center for Respiratory Diseases, Beijing, China
- Liang Zhao
- Institute of Respiratory Medicine, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
- Liang Zhao
- National Center for Respiratory Medicine, Beijing, China
- Daniella Ladmore
- Wolfson Institute of Population Health, Queen Mary University of London, London, United Kingdom
- Francesca Pesola
- Wolfson Institute of Population Health, Queen Mary University of London, London, United Kingdom
- Kian Fan Chung
- 0National Heart and Lung Institute, Imperial College London and Royal Brompton and Harefield Hospitals, London, United Kingdom
- Zheng-ming Chen
- 1Nuffield Department of Population Health, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
- Peter Hajek
- Wolfson Institute of Population Health, Queen Mary University of London, London, United Kingdom
- Dan Xiao
- Department of Tobacco Control and Prevention of Respiratory Diseases, Center of Respiratory Medicine, China-Japan Friendship Hospital, Beijing, China
- Dan Xiao
- WHO Collaborating Center for Tobacco Cessation and Respiratory Diseases Prevention, Beijing, China
- Dan Xiao
- National Clinical Research Center for Respiratory Diseases, Beijing, China
- Dan Xiao
- Institute of Respiratory Medicine, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
- Dan Xiao
- National Center for Respiratory Medicine, Beijing, China
- Dan Xiao
- Graduate School of Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
- Chen Wang
- WHO Collaborating Center for Tobacco Cessation and Respiratory Diseases Prevention, Beijing, China
- Chen Wang
- National Clinical Research Center for Respiratory Diseases, Beijing, China
- Chen Wang
- Institute of Respiratory Medicine, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
- Chen Wang
- National Center for Respiratory Medicine, Beijing, China
- Chen Wang
- 2Peking Union Medical College, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2022.1023756
- Journal volume & issue
-
Vol. 13
Abstract
ObjectiveTo clarify the extent to which smokers in the general population experience tobacco withdrawal symptoms and whether such experience differs in those who continue to smoke and those who stopped smoking.MethodsWe included relevant questions in the nationally-representative China Health Literacy Survey (CHLS) conducted in 2018–2019. Among 87,028 participants, there were 22,115 ever-smokers aged 20–69 years who provided information on their smoking history and their experience of tobacco withdrawal symptoms. Multivariate logistic regressions were conducted to explore the association between withdrawal symptoms and other variables.ResultsAmong ever-smokers, there were 19,643 (88.8%) current smokers and 2,472 (11.2%) ex-smokers. Among current smokers, 61.3% reported having tried to quit smoking in the past. Overall, 61.1% of current smokers reported experiencing withdrawal symptoms: 69.9% of those who tried to quit smoking in the past and 47.5% of those who did not. A lower proportion of ex-smokers experienced withdrawal symptoms (46.3%) and the difference remained significant after controlling for demographic characteristics (OR = 1.76, 95% CI 1.62–1.93, P < 0.001). The most commonly reported withdrawal symptoms in both current smokers and ex-smokers were craving, restlessness and anxiety. In the multivariable-adjusted analyses, those who experienced withdrawal symptoms when they tried to quit smoking (OR: 2.05, 95% CI: 1.86–2.27) were less likely to successfully quit.ConclusionsThe clinical picture of the tobacco withdrawal syndrome is the same in current smokers and in ex-smokers, but ex-smokers are less likely to have experienced it. The experience of discomfort when unable to smoke is common and seems likely to be a major factor contributing to maintaining smoking behavior not just among individuals seeking help with quitting smoking, but among smokers generally.
Keywords
