The Relation between Stress and Smoking Levels - Research Proposal Example

This research proposal aims at finding the relation between stress and smoking levels. I began with citing the various steps taken by the governments all over the world to spread awareness about the dangers of smoking, and make the environment smoke free and protect the public from passive smoking. I further depict the trends in last few years and try to understand how and why people start smoking. How much evidence is available to establish the link between smoking and stress? The findings till now are included. How these public policies influenced people’s lives and the impact they had on the making the world healthier place to live? Despite of these efforts, smoking is still practiced at a large scale. The proposed research tries to find an answer to this increase. The methodology that is intended to use is described further. Questions that I plan to ask in the interview are described. The group of participants I aim to approach and the way I plan to approach is described. I have included the online approach, in spite of the many risks involved as it makes sense to me that all people in organization have email ids and internet access and it makes the interview seem to be a small and not very time consuming process to them. I have considered all the ethical issues that may be linked with my mode of research and included the guidelines for ethical practice in psychological research online. The result of this research is expected to throw a better light on the elevated job stress and smoking levels, examining closely what other factors may be involved. Search Keywords: Effects of stress, smoking levels, reason people smoke INTRODUCTION “Smoking causes fatal lung cancer”, “Smoking can cause a slow and painful death”; these mandatory warnings (or similar) are found on every packet of cigarette and cigar now a days. This is one of the measures taken by the government towards making people aware about the dangers of smoking and motivating them to quit this practice. The link between smoking and lung cancer was established by a German scientist in 1920 leading to first anti-smoking campaign ever (“Tobacco smoking”, wikipedia) but it was only in 1980’s when political action was taken against this practice when scientific evidence were established that smoking is not only harmful to the smokers but also to those inhaling second hand smoke. Such laws were first introduced by developed countries where there is a public health system and the cost of medical care of smokers is covered by the society. It was believed that the introduction of these laws would decrease the health care cost by reducing the number of people suffering from diseases caused due to smoking. The United States Centres for Disease Control and Prevention describes tobacco use as “the single most important preventable risk to human health in developed countries and an important cause of premature death worldwide”(years of life can be increased, WHO, 30 oct 2002). WHO (World Health Organisation) has estimated that by 2030, 10 million of people per year will die of smoking related illness, making it the single biggest cause of death worldwide, with the largest increase to be among women .Smoking bans and smoke free laws form a part of public policies introduced in order to help create an environment where smoking is discouraged and make smoking unacceptable in public places. In addition to this, introduction of excise tax on cigarettes, prohibition of tobacco advertising, inclusion of graphic images of disastrous health effects of smoking on the products’ packets, setting the minimum age for buying tobacco products and insertion of instruction cards in the packets containing information about the ways of quitting smoking are other ways implemented by different countries as a health measure against smoking. A study shows the rates of smoking in the United States have decreased from 42% to 20.8% from 1965 to 2006. Despite this improvement it was found that there was an increase in the number of cigarettes consumed per person per day from 22 to 30 in 1978. This finding led to the conclusion that those who quit were the ones who smoked less and those who smoked frequently continued to smoke at increasing rates (smoking bans, wikipedia). In earlier times, smoking formed a part of religious rituals (Harold, Michael, David p.432) and till today in some parts of the world smoking is considered fashionable. The teenagers are attracted to smoking as a new thing to try; some do it for the feel of rebellion, those whose parents smoke think it as a thing practice of adults and like following them in order to feel and act like grownups. A study says the smokers justify this practice by the fact that it provides them a pleasure feeling, relieving stress, and help them concentrate. Another study revealed that peer pressure was significantly associated with smoking behaviour across all age and gender cohorts (Dr Jennifer, Addictive behaviours). Also, smoking is a practice which is found to be associated with extravagance, and with people who tend to be sociable, risk taking and excitement seeking. However, the adults who are involved in this practice claim that they are addicted and smoking forms a part of their lifestyle. Many others defend themselves by the argument that they smoke only for pleasure and in limits such that they do not harm themselves in future. But the fact remains, that after all the scientific evidences establishing smoking with many dangerous diseases still, 1.22 billion people smoke as on 2000 (smoking ban, wikipedia). The questions that we try to address in this proposal are aimed at finding the reason why people smoke? Even after all the awareness programs and educational efforts people who are educated and claim that they love their families find it hard to quit smoking. 1. Does elevated job stress affect smoking levels? 2. What’s the connection between smoking and stress? Literature Review Tobacco products and cigarettes have nicotine content which has a stimulant effect which causes the consumer to feel a rise in mental activity and excitement (definition, medical encyclopaedia). Some say that they feel relaxed after smoking a cigarette and their mood elevated. Studies show that nicotine has pain-relieving benefits. Nicotine releases brain chemicals which soothe pain, heighten positive emotions, and creating a sense of reward. (Dr Annette). After initial pleasure seeking, the body tends to become addicted to this substance. Dr Annette goes into depth of the many possible reasons why people like to smoke and what is it that makes people continue this practice. According to her, people when in a difficult and stressful situation in life tend to find an escape, to reduce the feelings like hurt, pain, dissatisfaction, anxiety and uneasiness which the cigarette provides them with. In an attempt to help people identify their reason of smoking she discloses that people suffering with chronic pain and depression find great comfort in smoking. The problems which life presents one with on day to day basis which are helpful in a person’s development which smokers tend to avoid and by believing that they are dealing with them with a puff of smoke. However, this is a phoney sense of relief since smoking leads one to move further away from his dreams and deep feelings. Smoking is as much a psychological pleasure as it is a physiological satisfaction (Ernest Ditcher, 1947). Most of the smokers are found to say that smoking keeps them going in life, because it enables them to forget the negative feelings and rise above them and continue their work without thinking about the tiredness and the apprehensions in life. Ditcher traces the practice as a universal desire for self expression, and describes it as a substitute for our early habit of following the whims of the moment. It becomes a legitimate excuse for taking a break from work and snatching a moment of pleasure. This fact does justify the fact that an increase in job related stress leads one to increase the time devoted to work and hence increase these pleasure seeking moments. When the work load tends to increase smoking provides a way of lightening up quickly and get back to work. Smoking is also associated with the hunger for rewards. This hunger makes smokers reward themselves with a cigarette when they finish a piece of work. Many people are seen lightening a cigarette when required to think deeply and sensibly. Smoking provides them with something to fully concentrate their mind on and free from all distractions. Hence when facing a problem an employee would puff away many cigarettes till he reaches a conclusion or finds a solution. In today’s times when people lack understanding of how to find consolation from others and how to tackle stress in everyday life cigarette seems to provide answers to all these shortcomings and weaknesses. Today everyone seeks for a shortcut for attaining everything that seem important to them, this ideology also supports smoking; a shortcut to relief, comfort and happiness. A study conducted by Prevention Research Centre, U.S.A. investigated the occupational correlates of smoking among urban transit operators (Rob, Anirudhha 20 Dec, 2007). The basis for this study being, workers in blue collar and service occupations smoke at higher levels than workers in white collar and professional occupations. NHIS National Heath Interview Surveys established that fact that an occupational gap in smoking rates was found. The survey established that in 1978-80 blue-collar workers were 38% more likely to smoke cigarettes than were white-collar workers; by 1997, they were 75% more likely to do so. Likewise, in 1978–80, service workers were 17% more likely to smoke cigarettes than white-collar workers, but by 1997, they were 55% more likely to smoke. In addition, data from the 1997 NHIS indicate that among smokers, a greater proportion of blue-collar workers (27.5%) than white-collar workers (18.0%) could be classified as heavy smokers (defined as smoking ≥ 25 cigarettes per day). Workers in blue-collar and service occupations are also less likely to quit smoking compared to white-collar workers. Among ever smokers in the 1997 NHIS, 51.3% of white-collar workers, 36.8% of blue-collar workers, and 32.8% of workers in service occupations were former smokers. Hence, both individual and environmental factors are associated with an employee’s smoking level. When the workplace surroundings are not comfortable workers are more likely to smoke as compared to those who had good surroundings. Job problems like burnout feeling and fatigue led to frustration and contributed towards increasing smoking levels of an employee. Lower level of education and income are also seen as a factor contributing to higher smoking levels. It’s not true that a higher post always assures a low smoking level. With higher position come big responsibilities, which may led to higher level of stress and anxiety and increase in smoking level. On questioning people about the reasons for smoking many different responses were recorded. Some of them are: 1. Smoking is fun. 2. Smoking is the reward I give myself in between the day to day tension filled events of life. 3. Smoking is oral pleasure; I like the feeling of sucking onto something. 4. With a cigarette it is easy to pass the time when I am waiting. 5. With a cigarette I do not feel alone. 6. I like to watch the smoke, it gives a feeling that my tensions are also leaving me with the smoke puffs. 7. Smoking is a cool way of striking a friendship. 8. Smoking helps me think, kind of triggers my mind. 9. A cigarette helps cooling down my nerves and helps me regain the balance in tense situations. 10. I began the day with a cigarette and end the day with smoking a cigarette, it kicks me up in the morning and relaxes me at the end of the day. 11. A cigarette gives me an excuse to sit back and think when I am really considering some matter seriously. The proposed research will aim at confirming the facts already established regarding the topic. How these public policies influenced people’s lives and the impact they had on the making the world healthier place to live. Despite of these efforts, smoking is still practiced at a large scale. The proposed research tries to find an answer to this increase. The views of those people who smoke, light or heavy, or occasionally will be recorded Methods Research Design I would be using a quantitative approach for carrying out this research. I plan to interview people of different levels of the same organisation (i.e. follow the hierarchy) starting from the lowest level and proceeding step by step to higher levels. For example if I chose a restaurant for the research then I would start with the cleaners or help boy, after that I would interview the waiter, after that the cook, after that the chef, then finally the manager of the restaurant. Face to face, telephonic or online techniques will be employed for conducting the interview in whatever way the respondent feel comfortable. The organisations that we intend to include are institutional organisations like schools, shops, departmental stores, an industrial organisation, etc. The focus would be to interview more and more people from all sectors in order to conduct analysis of the data in many ways, like variations in smoking pattern of the employee industry wise, education qualification wise, gender wise, lifestyles wise. The questions that will be included in the interview are as follows: 1. In what age did you started smoking? 2. What was the reason which initiated this practice in your life? Or how you started smoking? 3. Did you ever try to quit from then till now? 4. How many cigarettes you smoke in one day? 5. Are not you afraid of the consequences of this practice which may follow as warned by the health department? 6. Can you think of one good reason for why you smoke? 7. What keeps you from quitting or thinking about quitting this practice? 8. Can you please describe your working environment? 9. Do you feel the work load to be too much for you to handle? 10. Are you happy with your daily schedule? 11. What other stress relieving activities you participate in? 12. Do you think you are likely to consider quitting smoking in future? 13. What do you think about the smoke free laws and how much do you think they affected you and people around you? These questions would provide us with an insight about the smoking history of the participant; his/her work culture and the motivation and need of smoking in his/her life. His/her likelihood of quitting smoking in future would help us predict whether the person is increase smoking levels in future or not. By estimating and gaining knowledge about different stress levels of different posts of different departments we would try to investigate that whether smoking level depends on stress level or individual choice. By comparing the data of different respondents we would be able to able to closely examine the relation between smoking levels and job stress. I plan to start by collecting these employees’ contact details like phone numbers, email-ids, etc. I plan to approach from the top of the hierarchy i.e. try to discuss my aim and purpose of study and research with the highest ranking official I plan to interview because I am sure he would hold the highest qualification and will understand the trivial importance if this research. Also, if I am able to get his accent then things will become easier for me, and interview all his subordinates down the hierarchy line would become an easy and fast process. Also, if the organization is marinating some data which may prove useful in my search, my chances of availing that data would become high. I perceive in some cases it may not be easy to reach people of higher official status so I plan to adopt the online approach for such cases. Group conferences and chatting with messenger may serve a suitable strategy to bring people together and retrieve the desired information. The strategy would require me to initiate with mailing the concerned employee and then wait for an online response and approval. Inclusion/Exclusion criteria The age group that I am considering for this research is going to be employees between 21-60 years. Our focus would be the employed group only. Ethics Ethical considerations (University of Leeds, School of Education guidelines on ethical research practices for students) with respect to this research are: 1. The participant should be informed about the purpose of the research and others details associated with the research programs be revealed to him. 2. The participants should be asked for their accent when using data gathering devices e.g. tape recorders. 3. Any references to the participant in the research must be strictly avoided. 4. No personal questions will be asked to the participants. 5. Before contacting them for the interview call a former appointment must be made with the participant for a time suitable for both. 6. Care should be taken to personal conduct while on the interview call. 7. Care should be taken to not to embarrass or humiliate the community where research will be undertaken. 8. A study of 1998 Data Protection Act should be done before staring the research. 9. Data must be stored in a secure manner. 10. An appropriate method must be employed to establish the identity of the participant (Report of the working party on conducting research on the internet The British Psychological Society). 11. The researchers must explain to the participant the ways in which they provide is stored and electronically transported and the possibility of breaching the respondent’s confidentiality through the use of search engines etc. The research would be carried out in accordance with the ethical practices. First of all the participant will be contacted on phone and given a brief introduction about self and the research objectives. In case the participant agrees for the online interviews, he/she would be given a detailed description of risks involved in the online conduct of interview. A suitable time and place for the meeting will be decided and the participant will be asked for his consent again before conducting the interview. Any data storing devices like tape recorders or video recorders will be used only with the consent of the participant. The participant will be informed about each and everything about the research and will be assured anonymity. Expected Outcomes This research will establish the link between stress and smoking. The role of stress in one’s life to take up smoking, and continuing the process will be closely studied. The result would be, (A) A research data supporting the effects of stress on the levels of smoking levels. (B) The relation between elevated job stress and employees’ smoking level indicating that the employees’ smoking level were found to increase. (C) Establishment of the fact that only the job stress did not contribute to the increase in smoking levels, some personal factors also seem to be involve. References: 1. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tobacco_smoking 2. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smoking_ban 3. http://www.answers.com/topic/smoking 4. Harold George Koenig, Michael E. McCullough, David B. Larson, Hand book of religion and health. 5. Dr Annette Colby, RD, http://www.selfgrowth.com/articles 6. Ernest Ditcher 1947 http://smokingsides.com/docs/whysmoke.html 7.Rob Lipton , Anirudhha Banerjee 20 Dec, 2007 http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/articlerender.fcgi?artid=2254602 8. University of Leeds, School of Education guidelines on ethical research practices for students 9. Report of the working party on conducting research on the internet The British Psychological Society 10. Dr.Jennifer A. Episten, Division of Prevention and Health Behavior at Weill Cornell, “New study looks at peer pressure” http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/67112.php Read More