Relationship between Tobacco Craving and Quality of Life among French Students: Results of a Cross-Sectional Study.

BACKGROUND: Understanding the factors leading to smoking cessation is of primary importance in reducing the death burden. Recently introduced in the DSM-5, craving is a potentially promising mechanism involved in relapse, but its articulation with quality of life and deprivation on tobacco student's consumers has never been investigated. OBJECTIVES: Our study explores the relationship between tobacco craving and sub-dimensions of quality of life when controlling effect of deprivation on a youth population with tobacco consumption. METHOD: Comparison between deprived and non-deprived students were conducted with online questionnaires on demographic data, level of dependency, perceived quality of life, deprivation and craving. Multivariate linear regression with backward procedure was conducted to assess the predictive validity of these variables on craving. Finally, Bayesian analysis was conducted to evaluate the model proposed by the regression. RESULTS: One hundred and seventy-four participants were included. Craving was significantly correlated with all the other variables and increases when the level of deprivation rises, while it decreases when physical health improves. These results are confirmed by Bayesian linear regression. Conclusions/Importance: Environmental and social factors are usually overlooked when it comes to understanding individuals, deeply rooted biological mechanisms such as craving. Working on physical health is of interest to diminished craving and improves the quality of life during smoking cessation and thereby to support success on the student population. Consequences for the triadic neurocognitive model of addiction are discussed.