Association of Financial Distress and Monthly Income with Smoking During the COVID-19 Pandemic Recession in Thailand: A Nationwide Cross-Sectional Study

Chutarat Sathirapanya (), Wit Wichaidit, Vijj Kasemsup, Vasin Pipattanachat and Rassamee Chotipanvithayakul
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Chutarat Sathirapanya: Tobacco Control Research and Knowledge Management Center, Southern Node, Hat Yai 90110, Songkhla, Thailand
Wit Wichaidit: Department of Epidemiology, Faculty of Medicine, Prince of Songkla University, Hat Yai 90110, Songkhla, Thailand
Vijj Kasemsup: Faculty of Medicine, Ramathibodi Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok 10400, Thailand
Vasin Pipattanachat: Tobacco Control Research and Knowledge Management Center, Bangkok 10400, Thailand
Rassamee Chotipanvithayakul: Tobacco Control Research and Knowledge Management Center, Southern Node, Hat Yai 90110, Songkhla, Thailand

IJERPH, 2025, vol. 22, issue 8, 1-9

Abstract: (1) Background: Psychological distress causes increased smoking frequency. Thus, financial distress (FD), a type of psychological distress, during the COVID-19 pandemic recession is possibly associated with increased smoking frequency. We studied the association between disrupted employment or earnings-associated FD and the number of cigarettes smoked daily, as well as the effects of pre-pandemic regular monthly incomes on the association. (2) Methods: We retrieved the collected data from a former nationwide and community-based study regarding the psycho-socio-economic characteristics of Thai people during the third wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in Thailand in 2021. The participants for this study were current smokers aged ≥ 18 years. General demographics, perceived FD, and pre-pandemic regular monthly incomes were analyzed. Descriptive statistics and multivariate logistic regression with sampling weight adjustments were the analyses used ( p < 0.05). (3) Results: 849 current smokers were suitable for statistical analyses. We found that 664 (12.9%) of participants experienced FD, but it did not significantly affect smoking frequency. However, those who had FD and regularly earning ≥ THB 10,000 ($271.11 US) per month was significantly associated with increased daily cigarette use, after adjusting for age and sex (adjusted OR = 2.74; 95% CI = 1.18, 6.37, p = 0.020). (4) Conclusion: FD alone did not affect daily smoking frequency. Understanding the psycho-socio-economic factors is necessary for smoking control during the COVID-19 economic recession.

Keywords: psychological stress; cigarette smoking; income; economic recession; COVID-19 pandemic (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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