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. 2008 Oct;193(4):322-6.
doi: 10.1192/bjp.bp.107.046706.

Tobacco smoking as a risk factor for major depressive disorder: population-based study

Julie A Pasco  1 , Lana J Williams, Felice N Jacka, Felicity Ng, Margaret J Henry, Geoffrey C Nicholson, Mark A Kotowicz, Michael Berk
Affiliations

Tobacco smoking as a risk factor for major depressive disorder: population-based study

Julie A Pasco et al. Br J Psychiatry. 2008 Oct.

Abstract

Background: Smoking is disproportionately prevalent among people with psychiatric illness.

Aims: To investigate smoking as a risk factor for major depressive disorder.

Method: A population-based sample of women was studied using case-control and retrospective cohort study designs. Exposure to smoking was self-reported, and major depressive disorder diagnosed using the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV-TR (SCID-I/NP).

Results: Among 165 people with major depressive disorder and 806 controls, smoking was associated with increased odds for major depressive disorder (age-adjusted odds ratio (OR)=1.46, 95% CI 1.03-2.07). Compared with non-smokers, odds for major depressive disorder more than doubled for heavy smokers (>20 cigarettes/day). Among 671 women with no history of major depressive disorder at baseline, 13 of 87 smokers and 38 of 584 non-smokers developed de novo major depressive disorder during a decade of follow-up. Smoking increased major depressive disorder risk by 93% (hazard ratio (HR)=1.93, 95% CI 1.02-3.69); this was not explained by physical activity or alcohol consumption.

Conclusions: Evidence from cross-sectional and longitudinal data suggests that smoking increases the risk of major depressive disorder in women.

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