Smoking Behaviour and Dry Eye Symptoms Among Uitm Puncak Alam Students During Covid 19

Abstract

Introduction: The pandemic of COVID-19 has impacted the economy and psychological health, especially during the implementation of a movement control order. The implementation has raised adverse behaviour such as smoking and drinking to deal with psychological stress and anxiety. This study has investigated the pattern of smoking behaviour and the relationship between smoking behaviour and dry eye symptoms among smokers during the COVID 19 pandemic. Methods: The Smoking Behavior and Dry Eye Symptoms (OSDI) questionnaires were used in the study with the value for Cronbach α was 0.676. The adapted questionnaires were distributed online to 377 smokers who studied at UiTM Puncak Alam. The collected data were analyzed demographically, and the significant value was set at p<0.05 using the Pearson test. Results: The average intake of cigarettes was between six to ten cigarettes per day. During COVID-19, 54.1% of the participants responded to an increase in the frequency of cigarettes per day. 17.2% of the participants had severe dry eyes due to smoking activity. The Pearson test showed a significant correlation between dry eyes symptoms and smoking behaviour p <0.05. Conclusion: During Covid 19, the prevalence of dry eye symptoms has increased among smokers, and it is linked to poor ocular surface health due to the changes in smoking behaviour and tobacco intake. This behaviour might commit to an unhealthy lifestyle that can reduce the quality of life.