Abstract
Purpose: To clarify any association between smoking and lifestyle habits among individuals with mental disability in small-scale workplaces.
Method: A questionnaire regarding smoking and lifestyle habits was administered to 116 individuals (64 men, 52 women) employed in small-scale workplaces in City A. Analysis examined the association between lifestyle habits and whether the participants smoked.
Results: The smoking rate for men was 59.4% and 25.0% for women. Compared to the non-smoking group, the overall group of male and female smokers felt that they were more sleep-deprived (p < 0.01), had a greater degree of loss of appetite for vegetables (p = 0.022), had more irregular meal times (p = 0.041), and were less active (p = 0.041). Compared to the non-smoking group, the male smoking group was less active (p = 0.043). Compared to the non-smoking group, the female smoking group felt more sleep-deprived (p < 0.001).
Discussion and Conclusion: The smoking rate among individuals with mental disability in small-scale workplaces was between two and three times higher than that of the general Japanese population. The fact that smoking was found to be associated with unhealthy lifestyles suggests the need for smoking cessation support which involves environmental considerations and information provision related to non-smoking, while providing lifestyle support.
