Abstract
Background: Smoking is the current major preventable cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide, in patients with mental disorders tobacco related diseases are even the main cause of death. They are on average twice more likely to smoke than mentally healthy population and they smoke usually higher number of cigarettes per day.
The fear of manifestation or worsening of depression after smoking cessation is a barrier to star tobacco dependence treatment for many smokers willing to quit and also for the health care staff. However, the long-term research did not confirm these concerns: large number of scientific studies demonstrated improvement of mental problems after smoking cessation, especially factors of depression, anxiety and stress.
Aims: To elucidate the level of depression in smokers seeking treatment of tobacco dependence at the baseline and after one year of abstinence from smoking. Abstinence rates in the whole sample, as well as in three subgroups according to the baseline depression score.