Screening women in family practice settings: association between depression and smoking cigarettes.

Objective: The purpose of this survey study was to test female family practice outpatients for an association between depression and cigarette smoking.

Methods: The survey consisted of demographic items including questions on smoking, and an eight-item self-report depression screening instrument. Eighty percent of the women (ages 18-91) approached agreed to participate in this study (N = 695).

Results: Thirty-two percent scored positive for depression and 28% smoked cigarettes. Cigarette smokers had significantly higher depression scores than did nonsmokers, and heavier smokers (> 10/day) had higher scores than did smokers of 10 or fewer cigarettes/day.

Conclusion: There appears to be an association between smoking and depression among female family practice patients. This warrants both patient care and research attention.