The Effect of Psychiatric Disorders and Stressful Environmental Factors in Correlation with Smoking and Coronary Heart Disease

Abstract

Introduction: Smoking has been associated, among others, with morbidity and mortality from coronary heart disease. Moreover, it has been established by many studies that there are several mediating factors in the relationship between smoking and coronary heart disease. The purpose of this research is to examine the relationship between smoking and coronary heart disease, with particular emphasis on the factors that mediate this relationship. Methods: A demographic questionnaire, and the Smoking in psychiatric hospitals—a survey of patients’ views, were used. The research was conducted on a sample of 152 patients at the Cardiology Clinic of the National University of Athens “Sotiria”. Results: The vast majority of patients with coronary heart disease have smoked in the past and continue to smoke, despite their knowledge that smoking is very harmful to health and the physician’s advice to stop smoking immediately. In addition, a partial correlation between smoking and gender as well as smoking and history of psychiatric disorders, and baseline anxiety was found. The latest research hypothesis about the role of stressors is partially confirmed. Conclusions: The effects of smoking cessation are important in terms of the risk and recurrence of coronary heart disease. Smoking cessation interventions have been found to be effective when psychosocial intervention strategies are used. However, the role of emotional intelligence in smoking cessation has also been established. Monitoring and using information about one’s emotions is important in the context of health behavior, as it can be used to guide thoughts, attitudes, and perceptions. Therefore, it is proposed to design and implement educational programs that aim to strengthen and utilize emotional intelligence, both at the level of prevention and in dealing with smoking.