Cigarette smoking linked to depression in adults

Data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys (2005-2008) has found that adults ages 20 and over with depression were more likely to be cigarette smokers than those without depression.  This key finding is the focus of a new report from NCHS, “Depression and Smoking in the U.S. Household Population Aged 20 and Over, 2005-2008.” This report also found the following:                        

• Women with depression had smoking rates similar to men with depression, while women without depression smoked less than men.
• Over one-half of men with depression ages 40–54 were current smokers compared with 26 percent of men without depression of the same age.
• Among women ages 40–54, of those with depression, 43 percent were smokers compared with 22 percent of those without depression.
• Among adult smokers, those with depression smoked more heavily than those without depression. They were more likely to smoke their first cigarette within 5 minutes of awakening and to smoke more than one pack of cigarettes per day.
• Adults with depression were less likely to quit smoking than those without depression.

The graph below shows the percentage of adult smokers with depression from 2005-2008:

 For more, visit: http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/databriefs/db34.pdf