Mental Health and Smoking Cessation: Anxiety and Depression Among Participants in a Public Control Program in Southern Brazil.

BACKGROUND

Smoking cessation programs are designed to support individuals in quitting tobacco and improving their health. Psychological factors, including anxiety and depression symptoms, can affect cessation outcomes, emphasizing the need to investigate their influence in public program settings. Objective is to assess how anxiety and depression symptoms influence therapeutic success in a public smoking cessation program and to identify associated clinical and behavioral factors.

METHODS

A longitudinal study was conducted from January to April 2025 with 80 participants enrolled in the Smoking Cessation Program of the municipality of Tubarão, Santa Catarina. The Fagerström test for nicotine dependence, Beck Anxiety Inventory, and Beck Depression Inventory were administered at baseline, 30, and 90 days. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and association tests (p < 0.05).

RESULTS

The participants showed a cessation rate of 40%; 26.3% of them dropped out, while 33.8% did not quit. The non-quitters were older (58.6±11.4 years) and had a higher tobacco exposure (47.7±25.3 pack years; p < 0.01) than the quitters (49.0±10.2 years; 29.5±18.6 pack years). The mean Fagerström score decreased among the quitters (0.05±0.2 vs. 2.5±1.1; p < 0.001). Higher anxiety at 90 days was associated with cessation failure (10.2 vs. 3.7; p < 0.001), whereas depression showed a similar but nonsignificant trend (p = 0.08).

CONCLUSION

Anxiety negatively affected cessation success, whereas depression showed a comparable pattern. Older age and greater tobacco exposure were associated with increased vulnerability. Thus, psychological assessments and multidisciplinary support in public cessation programs are essential.