DT News - UK - Study reveals smokers unaware of when health issues could arise

Study reveals smokers unaware of when health issues could arise

A study has found that smokers perceive that health issues, ranging from mild cases such as yellow teeth or bad breath to severe cases such as cancer, are further in the future than non-smokers do. (Photograph: Ehab Edward/Shutterstock)

Dental Tribune International

Tue. 13 February 2018

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GUILDFORD, UK: Many people still smoke despite warnings and information regarding the health-damaging consequences. In a new study researchers from the University of Milano-Bicocca in Italy and the University of Surrey in the UK recently surveyed 162 smokers and non-smokers on their understanding of the onset of negative health effects associated with the addictive habit. They found smokers had a distorted temporal perception in this regard.

The participants were asked to estimate the timing of the possible development of smoking-related conditions in a person who starts smoking ten cigarettes a day at 18 years old. These were categorised as mild (such as yellow teeth and bad breath) to severe (such as lung cancer and stroke). According to the study results, on average, smokers believed that the onset of both mild and severe smoking-related conditions would occur later in life than non-smokers did. The researchers believe this misperception among smokers highlights a lack of understanding of the adverse consequences of smoking and how rapidly damage can be caused to the body.

“This distorted perception is incredibly dangerous for those who do smoke, and may lead people to delay quitting smoking or screening for smoking-related conditions, increasing their risk of developing a serious illness,” said Dr Patrice Rusconi from the Social Emotions and Equality in Relations research group at the University of Surrey.

Not only is smoking the primary cause of preventable illness such as periodontal disease and mouth cancer, but according to the UK National Health System (NHS), it caused an estimated 79,000 deaths in the UK in 2015. The latest figures from the NHS also show that 474,000 hospital admissions in 2015/2016 were attributable to smoking.

“The adverse consequences of smoking are well documented, but what we have found is that smokers perceive such hazards to be further in the future compared to those who don’t smoke,” said Rusconi.

The study, titled “The onset time delaying effect: Smokers vs non-smokers place the adverse consequences of smoking further in the future”, was published online in the Journal of Cognitive Psychology on 13 December 2017.