Psychological burden of smoking in women: Experiences of anxiety and social stigma.

Abstract

This study aims to examine women's experiences of social stigmatization due to smoking and its effects on mental health and social relationships. The study was completed in May and June 2024 with a total of 251 women participants. Women who were over 18 years of age, smoked, were literate and volunteered to participate were included in the study.The data were collected online using the Descriptive Information Form, which includes socio-demographic information and smoking characteristics of the participants; the Fagerström Nicotine Dependence Test (FNDT), which measures smoking dependence levels, and the Beck Anxiety Scale (BAS), which assesses anxiety levels. Analyses were performed in SPSS 24.0 software; t test, ANOVA, chi-square and Pearson correlation analyses were used. Among the women, 58.6% were between 26 and 40 years of age, 49.8% were single, and 59.8% were university graduates and above. No significant correlation was found between FNDT and socio-demographic characteristics (p > 0.05), whereas a significant correlation was found between BAS and age, marital status, and income status (p < 0.05). Significant correlations were found between FNDT scores and duration of smoking, age of starting smoking, the reason for starting smoking, and its effect on work life. Significant correlations were found between the effects of smoking on the environment due to being a woman, its effects on social relations, and its effects on social stigmatization and BAS scores (p < 0.05). This study revealed that social stigma related to smoking negatively affects women's mental health and social relationships. Awareness campaigns, accessible psychological support, and gender-sensitive policies are essential to reduce stigma and improve women's quality of life.