Smoking status and the onset of suicidal ideation among adults in Japan during the COVID-19 pandemic.

PURPOSE: As previous research has linked smoking to suicidal behavior, it is possible that smoking may have played a role in suicidality during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, relatively little research has examined this association. To address this gap, the present study examined the relationship between smoking status and the onset of suicidal ideation in Japan during the pandemic.

METHODS

Data were analyzed from 3,164 adults from the Japanese general population who participated in an online survey in early 2023. Information was collected on smoking status and incident suicidal ideation during the COVID-19 pandemic. Logistic regression was conducted to examine associations.

RESULTS

In a fully adjusted analysis, current smoking was associated with significantly higher odds of the onset of suicidal ideation in the total sample (OR: 2.31, 95%CI: 1.37, 3.90). In a sex-stratified analysis, both former (OR: 4.49, 95%CI: 1.75, 11.50) and current smoking (OR: 6.12, 95%CI: 2.67, 14.01) were associated with the onset of suicidal ideation in men, whereas no such association was observed in women.

CONCLUSION

Smoking was associated with the onset of suicidal ideation among adults in Japan during the COVID-19 pandemic, with the association observed in men but not women.