Intentions to Smoking Cessation in the Time of COVID-19 Evidence from Serbia
Main Article Content
Abstract
In this study, we examine whether the outbreak of pandemic has given incentive to smoking cessation and which factors are associated with such intentions, emphasizing change of economic conditions and smoking habits in the time of COVID-19. Data were collected through a telephone survey among a representative sample of the Serbian adult population aged less than 65 years (N=1,002) from 11 to 19 May 2020. The current smokers reported whether the COVID-19 pandemic had changed their tobacco products consumption, disposable income and intentions to cease smoking. Among the current smokers, 26.3% reported that the COVID-19 pandemic triggered intentions to cease smoking. On the other hand, 42.4% of smokers reported a decrease in income, while 22.7% of smokers reported increased smoking during the COVID-19 pandemic. Logistic regression reveals that occasional smokers are the most likely to stop smoking (OR 4.17; CI: 2.18 - 7.99), while the majority of other factors (socio-demographic, economic, smoking habits) do not influence the odds of smoking cessation. Lack of association between intentions to cease smoking and pandemic-related worsening of economic well-being might result from low cigarette prices in Serbia. Consequently, higher taxation of tobacco products is recommended to policymakers.
Article Details
Section
Once the manuscript is accepted for publication, authors shall transfer the copyright to the publisher. If the submitted manuscript is not accepted for printing by the journal, the authors shall retain all their rights. The following rights on the manuscript are transferred to the publisher, including any supplementary materials and any parts, extracts or elements of the manuscript:
- the right to reproduce and distribute the manuscript in printed form, including print-on-demand;
- the right to print prepublications, reprints and special editions of the manuscript;
- the right to translate the manuscript into other languages;
- the right to reproduce the manuscript using photomechanical or similar means including, but not limited to photocopy, and the right to distribute these copies;
- the right to reproduce and distribute the manuscript electronically or optically using and all data carriers or storage media, and especially in machine readable/digitalized form on data carriers such as hard drive, CD-ROM, DVD, Blu-ray Disc (BD), Mini Disc, data tapes, and the right to reproduce and distribute the article via these data carriers;
- the right to store the manuscript in databases, including online databases, as well as the right to transmit the manuscript in all technical systems and modes;
- the right to make the manuscript available to the public or to closed user groups on individual demand, for use on monitors or other readers (including e-books), and in printable form for the user, either via the Internet, online service, or via internal or external networks.
References
Bommelé, J., Hopman, P., Walters, B. H., Geboers, C., Croes, E., Fong, G., Quah, A., & Willemsen, M. (2020). The double-edged relationship between COVID-19 stress and smoking: Implications for smoking cessation. Tobacco Induced Diseases, 18, Article 63. https://doi: 10.18332/tid/125580
Di Renzo, L., Gualtieri, P., Pivari, F., Soldati, L., Attina, A., Cinelli, G., Leggeri, C., Caparello, G., Barrea, L., Scerbo, F., Esposito, E., & De Lorenzo, A. (2020). Eating habits and lifestyle changes during COVID-19 lockdown: an Italian survey. Journal of Translational Medicine, 18, Article 229. https://doi:10.1186/s12967-020-02399-5
Eisenberg, S. L., & Eisenberg, M. (2020). Smoking cessation during the COVID-19 epidemic. Nicotine & Tobacco Research, 22(9), 1664-1665. https://doi: 10.1093/ntr/ntaa075
Gjika, A., Zhllima, E., Rama, K., & Imami, D. (2020). Analysis of tobacco price elasticity in Albania using household-level data. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 17(2), 432-443. https://doi: 10.3390/ijerph17020432
Ho C., Tan E., Ho R., & Chiu M. (2019). Relationship of anxiety and depression with respiratory symptoms: comparison between depressed and non-depressed smokers in Singapore. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 16(1), 163-176. https://doi:10.3390/ijerph16010163
International Labor Organization. (2020). ILO Monitor: COVID-19 and the world of work. Sixth edition. Retrieved December 10, 2020, from https://www.ilo.org/wcmsp5/groups/public/---dgreports/---dcomm/documents/briefingnote/wcms_755910.pdf
John, R. M. (2005). Price elasticity estimates for tobacco and other addictive goods in India. Indira Gandhi Institute of Development Research, Mumbai Working Papers 2005-003. https://ideas.repec.org/p/ind/igiwpp/2005-003.html Uploaded January 2005. Accessed December 10, 2020.
Jovanović O, Zubović J, Vladisavljević M, Bodroža D, Ljumović I, Domazet I, et al. (2018). Estimation of tobacco products price and income elasticity using aggregate data. Economic Analysis. 2018;51(3-4), 81-94.
Kassel, J. D., Stroud, L. R., & Paronis, C. A. (2003). Smoking, stress, and negative affect: correlation, causation, and context across stages of smoking. Psychological Bulletin, 129(2), 270-304. https://doi: 10.1037/0033-2909.129.2.270
Klemperer, E. M., West, J. C., Peasley-Miklus, C., & Villanti, A. C. (2020). Change in tobacco and electronic cigarette use and motivation to quit in response to COVID-19. Nicotine & Tobacco Research, 22(9), 1662-1663. https://doi:10.1093/ntr/ntaa072
López-Bueno, R., Calatayud, J., Casaña, J., Casajús, J. A., Smith, L., Tully, M., Andersen, L., & López-Sánchez, G. (2020). COVID-19 confinement and health risk behaviors in Spain. Frontiers in Psychology, 11, Article 1426. https://doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2020.01426
Lawless, M. H., Harrison, K. A., Grandits, G. A., Lynn, E. E, & Allen, S. S. (2015). Perceived stress and smoking-related behaviors and symptomatology in male and female smokers. Addictive Behaviors, 51, 80-83. https://doi: 10.1016/j.addbeh.2015.07.011
Lande, G. (2018). What is the association between nicotine addiction and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Medscape.
Peng L, Ross H. (2009). The impact of cigarette taxes and advertising on the demand for cigarettes in Ukraine. Cent Eur J of Public Health, 2009;17(2):93-98.
Rajkumar, R. P. (2020). COVID-19 and mental health: A review of the existing literature. Asian Journal of Psychiatry, 52, Article 102066. https://doi: 10.1016/j.ajp.2020.102066
Santé Publique France (2020). Tabac, Alcool: quel impact du confinement sur la consommation des Français? [Tobacco, Alcohol: what impact does confinement have on French consumption?]. Retrived November 15, 2020, from https://www.santepubliquefrance.fr/presse/2020/tabac-alcool-quel-impact-du-confinementsur-la-consommation-des-francais
Schäfer, S. K., Sopp, M. R., Schanza, C. G., Staginnus, M., Göritzc, A. S. & Michael, T. (2020). Impact of COVID-19 on public mental health and the buffering effect of a sense of coherence. Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, 89(6), 386-392. https://doi: 10.1159/000510752
Siddiqi, K., Siddiqui, F., Khan, A., Ansaari, S., Kanaan, M., Khokhar, M., et al. (2020) The impact of COVID-19 on smoking patterns in Pakistan: findings from a longitudinal survey of smokers. Nicotine Tob Res. 2020:ntaa207. doi: 10.1093/ntr/ntaa207
Sidor, A., & Rzymski, P. (2020). Dietary choices and habits during COVID-19 lockdown: Experience from Poland. Nutrients, 12(6), Article 1657. https://doi:10.3390/nu12061657
Siegel, A., Korbman, M., & Erblich, J. (2017). Direct and indirect effects of psychological distress on stress-induced smoking. Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs, 78(6), 930–937. https://doi: 10.15288/jsad.2017.78.930
Stubbs B, Veronese N, Vancampfort D, Prina AM, Lin PY, Theng PT, et al. (2017). Perceived stress and smoking across 41 countries: A global perspective across Europe, Africa, Asia and the Americas. Scientific Reports. 2017;7:7597. https://doi:10.1038/s41598-017-07579-w
Tarantilis F, Athanasakis K, Zavras D, Vozikis A, Kyriopoulos I. (2013) Estimates of price and income elasticity in Greece. Greek debt crisis transforming cigarettes into a luxury good: an econometric approach. BMJ Open. 2015;5:e004748. doi:10.1136/bmjopen-2013- 004748
Tetik, B. K., Gedik, T. I., & Taş, S. (2020). The Effect of the COVID-19 Pandemic on smoking cessation success. Journal of Community Health. https://doi: 10.1007/s10900-020-00880-2
Vladisavljević, M., Đukić, M., Jovanović, O., & Zubović, J. (2019). Chapter 8: Serbia. In J. Zubović & M. Vladisavljević (Eds.), Impacts of tobacco excise increases on cigarette consumption and government revenues in Southeastern European countries (pp. 60-69). Institute of Economic Sciences, Belgrade.
Vladisavljević, M., Zubović, J., Đukić, M., & Jovanović, O. (2020). Tobacco price elasticity in Serbia: evidence from a middle-income country with high prevalence and low tobacco prices. Tobacco Control, 29(5), 331-336. https://doi:10.1136/tobaccocontrol-2019-055262
Xiong, J., Lipsitz, O., Nasri, F., Lui, L. M. W., Gill, H., Phan, L., Chen-Li, D., Iacobucci, M., Ho, R., Majeed, A., & McIntyre R. S. (2020). Impact of COVID-19 pandemic on mental health in the general population: A systematic review. Journal of Affective Disorders, 277, 55-64. https://doi: 10.1016/j.jad.2020.08.001
Yürekli A, Önder Z, Elibol M, Erk N, Cabuk A, Fisunoglu M, et al. (2010). The economics of tobacco and tobacco taxation in turkey. https://www.who.int/tobacco/en_tfi_turkey_report_feb2011.pdf. Uploaded September 2010. Accessed December 10, 2020.
Zubović J, Ljumović I, Jovanović O, Bodroža D, Domazet I, Vladisavljević M, et al. (2018) Economics of tobacco and tobacco taxation. Regional study Albania, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Croatia, Kosovo, Macedonia, Montenegro, and Serbia. http://tobaccotaxation.org/cms_upload/pages/files/192_regional_study_see_2018.pdf. Published December 2018. Accessed December 10, 2020.
Zubović, J., Jovanović, O., Đukić, M., Jolović, N., & Vladisavljević, M. (2019). Adult tobacco consumption in Serbia. Retrieved December 10, 2020, from http://tobaccotaxation.org/cms_upload/pages/files/201_srb_report.pdf
Zubović, J., Đukić, M., & Jovanović, O. (2020). Ekonomski aspekti kontrole duvana i empirijski nalazi u Srbiji [Economic aspects of tobacco control and empirical evidence from Serbia]. Institute of Economic Sciences, Belgrade.