Smoking habits and psycho-socio-biological factors

This paper is devoted to the study of the relation between smoking habits and psychosocio-biological variables among subjects participating in the Belgian Heart Disease Prevention Project. During a base-line examination, male subjects, aged 40-59 yr, answered to medical, social and psychological questionnaires. Stepwise discriminant analyses between cigarette smokers and non-smokers showed that the former are older, more obese, have a higher mean serum cholesterol, are more frequently located in the northern part of Belgium, have a lower study level, are less type 'A' and more extravert and neurotic. Seven factors independently discriminate smokers from ex-smokers: the latter are older, more obese, more often married, located in the southern part of Belgium; they have a higher study level, are more type 'A' but less extravert. Few factors differentiate ex-smokers from non-smokers: the former are older, more neurotic, have a higher mean serum cholesterol and a greater tendency to answer with social conformity (on the lie-score). The authors hypothesize that between the cigarette smokers there is a sub-group of subjects who are psycho-socially very close to non-smokers, giving them a greater opportunity to become ex-smokers. This hypothesis is tested on a prospective basis among the subjects of the Belgian Heart Disease Prevention Project.Journal Article