PATTERN AND LEVEL OF NICOTINE-DEPENDENCE OF SCHIZOPHRENIA AND BIPOLAR AFFECTIVE DISORDER PATIENTS AND ITS COMPARISON WITH NICOTINE USERS WITHOUT MENTAL ILLNESS

Dr. Priyanka Sharma; Dr. Shantanu Bharti

Volume : X, Issue : VII, July - 2020

PATTERN AND LEVEL OF NICOTINE-DEPENDENCE OF SCHIZOPHRENIA AND BIPOLAR AFFECTIVE DISORDER PATIENTS AND ITS COMPARISON WITH NICOTINE USERS WITHOUT MENTAL ILLNESS

Dr. Priyanka Sharma, Dr. Shantanu Bharti

Abstract :

Background: Use of nicotine products is quite prevalent in patients of mental disorders as well as in general public to combat with the stress and anxiety. It is of interest to study the pattern of nicotine dependence in various psychiatric illnesses and to compare it with general population. Method: This study included 150 respondents, 50 each from Schizophrenia (SCH), BPAD (Mania) and general population without any psychiatric illness (Controls) respectively having history of nicotine use for >1 year. Patients were diagnosed according to ICD–10 diagnostic criteria. Severity of illness was assessed by appropriate rating scales. Severity of nicotine dependence was assessed by Fagerstrom Test for Nicotine Dependence (FTND & FTND– ST). Statistical analysis of data was done using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 21.0. Chi–square test and ANOVA were performed. Results: Mean age of SCH, BPAD and Controls was 39.26±7.48, 36.82±9.01 and 39.60±7.77 years respectively. Male to female ratio of SCH, BPAD and Controls was 5.25, 6.14 and 2.57 respectively. Prevalence of smoking was 88%, 88% and 74% respectively in the three groups. Statistically, no significant difference among groups was observed with respect to smoking and smokeless tobacco use. Though duration of smoking was significantly higher in controls as compared to that in SCH and BPAD groups yet daily frequency of smoking and smokeless tobacco consumption was significantly higher in cases with SCH and BPAD as compared to that in controls. Mean FTND & FTND–ST scores in SCH, BPAD and Controls were 7.06±5.71 & 6.50±3.26, 10.09±9.50 & 5.94±2.44 and 7.16±6.80 & 2.76±2.21 respectively. Conclusion: Nicotine dependence was significantly higher in cases with BPAD and SCH as compared to normal population. Schizophrenia patients tended to have higher dependence on smokeless form of nicotine use as compared to controls.