Evaluation of mood disorders in smokers receiving smoking cessation counseling

Introduction and Aim: It is known that the prevalence of psychiatric disorders such as lifelong mood disorder, psychotic disorder, anxiety disorder, substance abuse and personality disorder is higher in smokers. Comorbid diseases of patients who apply to smoking cessation outpatient clinics are important in determining the pharmacological treatment to be applied and in the follow-up of the patient. The aim of this study is to determine the frequency of mental disorders and their effects on the management of the quitting process in patients admitted to the Adnan Menderes University Hospital Smoking Cessation Clinic. Materials and Methods: All patients who applied to the smoking cessation outpatient clinic, which is one of the practice units of our department, from May 2019 to 31 December 2021 were included in the descriptive study. Information about the patients was obtained retrospectively from the patient files in the hospital registry system and the polyclinic archive. The presence of a mental disorder in the drinker was determined by considering the mental status evaluation and psychiatry consultation results of the physician providing the counseling service. Statistical analyzes of the data were made with the SPSS program. In addition to descriptive statistics, the chi-square test was used for comparisons between subgroups. Results: The mean age of 803 smoking patients included in the study was 40.6±13.5 years and two-thirds (66.6%) were male. Of these, 742 (92.4%) had information about the counselor's mental status assessment and/or psychiatry consultation in their files. According to the mental status evaluation of the counselor, psychiatric disorders were detected in 139 (20.1%) of 691 patients. According to the results of the psychiatry consultation, psychiatric pathology was reported in 150 (35.0%) of 429 patients. The mental status evaluation of the patients who were found to have psychopathology in the smoking cessation outpatient clinic and/or during the psychiatry consultation was considered pathological (28.0%; n=208/742). Bupropion was used statistically significantly more frequently (15.9% vs. 30.6%) in patients with a mental pathology compared to those with normal mental status (p<0.001). Varenicline was used statistically significantly less (57.1% vs. 22.2%) in patients with a mental pathology compared to those with normal mental status (p<0.001). The patients' mental status did not affect the decision to quit smoking, adherence to follow-up, administration of pharmacological treatment, and administration of nicotine (p>0.05). Conclusion: Smoking is generally started at a young age. It is important to carry out studies to prevent young people from starting to smoke and to encourage those who do start to quit. Psychiatric disorders are common in smokers, so it is important to perform a mental status examination and be careful about the symptoms during the evaluation of smokers. Key Words: Mental Disorder, Smoking Addiction, Smoking Cessation.