Department of Public Health, University of Otago, Wellington, New Zealand.
Dean's Department, University of Otago, Wellington, New Zealand.
Nicotine Tob Res. 2021 May 4;23(5):866-871. doi: 10.1093/ntr/ntaa257.
New Zealand's response to the COVID-19 pandemic was one of the most restrictive lockdowns of any country, inevitably causing stress for many people. Because situations that increase stress and anxiety are associated with higher smoking prevalence, we examined self-reported smoking before and during the lockdown, and analyzed factors associated with reported changes in cigarette consumption.
We conducted an online panel survey of a demographically representative sample of 2010 adult New Zealanders during the COVID-19 lockdown; the final, weighted sample included 261 daily smokers and 71 weekly smokers. We measured psychological distress and anxiety, as well as situational factors, tobacco consumption, and demographic attributes.
Nearly half of daily smokers reported smoking more during than before the lockdown, on average, an increase of six cigarettes a day; increased daily cigarette consumption was associated with loneliness and isolation. Most weekly smokers reported either that their smoking during the lockdown had not changed or had slightly reduced.
Smoking cessation services need to anticipate that unexpected disruptions, such as pandemic lockdowns, may be associated with increased daily tobacco consumption, and that this increase may be sustained after lockdown. While public health responses to pandemics predictably focus on immediate and obvious consequences, interventions to support recent quitters and those making quit attempts should also form a key component of pandemic planning.
As governments introduce unprecedented measures to manage COVID-19, they need also to consider other public health risks, such as increased smoking among current smokers or relapse among recent quitters. Evidence that loneliness was associated with increased smoking during a lockdown suggests a need for cessation out-reach strategies that promote and support smoke-free practices.
新西兰对 COVID-19 大流行的反应是所有国家中限制最严格的封锁之一，这不可避免地给许多人带来了压力。因为增加压力和焦虑的情况与更高的吸烟率有关，所以我们调查了封锁前和封锁期间的自我报告吸烟情况，并分析了与报告的吸烟量变化相关的因素。
我们对具有代表性的 2010 名新西兰成年人口进行了一项在线小组调查，这些人在 COVID-19 封锁期间；最终加权样本包括 261 名每日吸烟者和 71 名每周吸烟者。我们测量了心理困扰和焦虑，以及情境因素、烟草消费和人口统计特征。
近一半的每日吸烟者报告说，在封锁期间的吸烟量比封锁前有所增加，平均每天增加六支烟；每日吸烟量增加与孤独和隔离有关。大多数每周吸烟者报告说，他们在封锁期间的吸烟量没有变化或略有减少。
戒烟服务需要预计到，像大流行封锁这样的意外干扰可能会导致日常烟草消费增加，而且这种增加可能会在封锁后持续。虽然大流行的公共卫生应对措施可以预料到会关注即时和明显的后果，但支持最近戒烟者和那些尝试戒烟的人的干预措施也应该成为大流行规划的一个关键组成部分。
随着政府引入前所未有的措施来管理 COVID-19，他们还需要考虑其他公共卫生风险，例如当前吸烟者吸烟增加或最近戒烟者复吸。在封锁期间孤独与吸烟增加相关的证据表明，需要采取戒烟外展策略，促进和支持无烟做法。
