Objective: The rapid spread of the coronavirus disease2019 (COVID-19) infection and its impact on a large number of people in a short period increased anxiety and worry within society. The stress and fear experienced by the public during the pandemic process affected smoking habits and perspectives on smoking. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of the fear of COVID-19 on smoking habits during the pandemic. Material and Methods: The research was conducted with a total of 536 participants using a digital survey form distributed online via Google Forms. A ''Data Collection Form on the Descriptive Characteristics of the Participants'', ''The COVID-19 Fear Scale'', and a ''Data Collection Form on the Smoking Habits of the Participants'' were used to collect the data. The SPSS 22.0 program was used for data evaluation. Results: Participants'' mean COVID-19 Fear Scale score was 15.34±5.35, indicating fear below moderate levels. During the pandemic, 25% reported increased passive smoke exposure, and 30.8% of smokers increased daily consumption. While 9.4% started smoking due to stress, 62.7% reported no change in smoking attitudes. COVID-19 fear was significantly higher in females, individuals aged 18-24, rural residents, and never-smokers (p<0.05). Additionally, those who believe that smoking increases the risk of disease and mortality have significantly higher fear scores (p<0.05). Conclusion: The COVID-19 pandemic has affected smoking habits and passive exposure. It has been found that the fear of COVID-19 varies according to age, gender, and smoking status; and that this fear interacts with smoking habits.
Söylemez et al. (Thu,) studied this question.