Study of correlation between different scales that measure smoking dependence

• Published in: Atención primaria Vol. 55; no. 3; p. 102581
• Main Authors: Ripoll Perelló, Jazmin, Barrés Fernández, Paula C, Pick Martín, Jennifer
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: Spanish
• Published: Spain 01.03.2023
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Aged; Cross-Sectional Studies; Female; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Smoking - epidemiology; Smoking Cessation; Tobacco Smoking; Tobacco Use Disorder - diagnosis; Tobacco Use Disorder - epidemiology; Young Adult; Tabaquismo; Scores; Dependencia; Smoke; Escalas; Dependence
• DOI: 10.1016/j.aprim.2023.102581
• ISSN: 1578-1275

To analyze the correlation between the degrees of smoking dependence, measured with the Fagerström Test Nicotine Dependence (FTND), Glover-Nilsson Smoking Behavioral Dependence (GN-SBQ) and a measure of self-perceived-dependence (SPD). Cross-sectional descriptive observational study. SITE: Urban primary health-care center. Men and women between 18 and 65 years old, daily smokers, selected by non-random consecutive sampling. Self-administration of various questionnaires though an electronic device. Age, sex and nicotine dependence assessed by: FTND, GN-SBQ and SPD. Statistical analysis, with SPSS 15.0: descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation analysis and conformity analysis. Two hundred fourteen smokers were included, 54.7% were women. Median age 52 years (range: 27-65). Depending on the test used, different results of the high/very high degree of dependence were found: FTND 17.3%, GN-SBQ 15.4% and SPD 69.6%. A moderate magnitude (r≈0.5) correlation between the 3 test was found. When assessing concordance, comparing the FTND with SPD, 70.6% of smokers didn't coincide in the severity of dependence, reporting a milder degree of dependence with the FTND than with SPD. Comparing GN-SBQ versus FTND, showed conformity in 44.4% of patients while in 40.7%, the FTND underestimated the severity of dependence. Likewise, when comparing SPD with the GN-SBQ, in the 64% GN-SBQ underestimates, while in 34.1% smokers conformity was demonstrated. The number of patients who consider their SPD to be high/very high was four times higher compared to the GN-SBQ or the FNTD; the latter, being the most demanding, categorizing patients with very high dependence. Requiring a FTND score greater than 7 to prescribe drugs for smoking cessation may exclude subsidiary patients from receiving treatment.