Protocol - Heaviness of Smoking Index
- Amount, Type, and Frequency of Recent Use of Nicotine Products
- Cigarette Nicotine Dependence
- Expired Carbon Monoxide
Description
The Heaviness of Smoking Index is a two-item self-report measure including questions on time to first cigarette and number of cigarettes smoked per day, which was derived from the Fagerström Test for Nicotine Dependence. These items are used to assess heaviness of cigarette smoking, which may be related to dependence on tobacco and association with biochemical measures of dependence.
Specific Instructions
Respondents are asked these questions only if they are a current every-day smoker or current some-day smoker based on responses to the adult Cigarette - Smoking Status protocols.
As a subset of the Fagerström Test for Nicotine Dependence (FTND), the two questions from the Heaviness of Smoking Index (HSI) are also included in the PhenX measure Cigarette Nicotine Dependence, which can be found in the Alcohol, Tobacco and Other Substances research domain. Therefore, selecting these two protocols together will result in duplicated questions. The two-question HSI may be used in situations when a shorter alternative to the FTND is needed due to space or time limitations.
This measure is intended for use only with cigarettes and, due to floor effects, may be a less valid measure of nicotine dependence in lighter smokers in the general population. Although there is no accepted definition of what constitutes a lighter smoker, the Smoking Cessation, Harm Reduction, and Biomarkers Working Group suggests a definition could be smoking fewer than 10 cigarettes per day.
Availability
Protocol
1. At present, how long after waking do you wait before having your first cigarette?
1 [ ] Within 5 minutes [3 points]
2 [ ] 6-30 minutes [2 points]
3 [ ] 31-60 minutes [1 point]
4 [ ] over 60 minutes [0 points]
2. How many cigarettes per day do/did you smoke?
1 [ ] 10 or less [0 points]
2 [ ] 11-20 [1 point]
3 [ ] 21-30 [2 points]
4 [ ] 31 or more [3 points]
Note on how to score the results:
- A six-point scale is calculated from the time to first cigarette after waking (3, 2, 1, or 0 points) and number of cigarettes smoked per day (0, 1, 2, or 3 points).
- Sum the points for each round of 2 questions asked.
- Nicotine dependence is categorized into a three-category variable: low (0-1), medium (2-4), and high (5-6).
Personnel and Training Required
None
Equipment Needs
None
Requirements
| Requirement Category | Required |
|---|---|
| Major equipment | No |
| Specialized training | No |
| Specialized requirements for biospecimen collection | No |
| Average time of greater than 15 minutes in an unaffected individual | No |
Mode of Administration
Self-administered questionnaire
Lifestage
Adult
Participants
Adult (aged 18-86) and current smokers
Selection Rationale
The Heaviness of Smoking Index is easy to administer, short in length, valid, and reliable, providing a simple way for clinicians looking to assess dependence to classify smokers.
Language
English, Other languages available at source
Standards
| Standard | Name | ID | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Human Phenotype Ontology | Addictive behavior | HP:0030858 | HPO |
Derived Variables
None
Process and Review
Not Applicable
Protocol Name from Source
Heaviness of Smoking Index (HSI)
Source
Heatherton, T. F., Kozlowski, L. T., Frecker, R. C., Rickert, W., & Robinson, J. (1989). Measuring the heaviness of smoking: Using self-reported time to the first cigarette of the day and number of cigarettes smoked per day. British Journal of Addiction, 84(7), 791-799.
National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) Data Share Website. (2016).Heaviness of Smoking Index.Rockville, MD: National Institutes of Health: National Institute on Drug Abuse (Scoring Instructions).
General References
Bierut, L. J., Madden, P. A., Breslau, N., Johnson, E. O., Hatsukami, D., Pomerleau, O. F., Swan, G. E., Rutter, J., Bertelsen, S., Fox, L., Fugman, D., Goate, A. M., Hinrichs, A. L., Konvicka, K., Martin, N. G., Montgomery, G. W., Saccone, N. L., Saccone, S. F., Wang, J. C., Chase, G. A., Rice, J. P., & Ballinger, D. G. (2007). Novel genes identified in a high-density genome wide association study for nicotine dependence. Human Molecular Genetics, 16(1), 24-35.
Etter, J. F., Duc, T. V., & Perneger, T. V. (1999). Validity of the Fagerström test for nicotine dependence and of the Heaviness of Smoking Index among relatively light smokers. Addiction, 94(2), 269-281.
John, U., Meyer, C., Schumann, A., Hapke, U., Rumpf, H. J., Adam, C., Alte, D., & Lüdemann, J. (2004). A short form of the Fagerström Test for Nicotine Dependence and the Heaviness of Smoking Index in two adult population samples. Addictive Behaviors, 29(6), 1207-1212.
Kozlowski, L. T., Porter, C. Q., Orleans, C. T., Pope, M. A., & Heatherton, T. (1994). Predicting smoking cessation with self-reported measures of nicotine dependence: FTQ, FTND, and HSI. Drug and Alcohol Dependence, 34(3), 211-216.
Schnoll, R. A., Goren, A., Annunziata, K., & Suaya, J. A. (2013). The prevalence, predictors and associated health outcomes of high nicotine dependence using three measures among US smokers. Addiction, 108(11), 1989-2000.
Protocol ID
330201
Variables
Export Variables| Variable Name | Variable ID | Variable Description | dbGaP Mapping | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PX330201_Heaviness_Smoking_Index_Cigarettes_Daily | ||||
| PX330201020000 | How many cigarettes per day do/did you smoke? | N/A | ||
| PX330201_Heaviness_Smoking_Index_Wake_Wait_First_Cigarette | ||||
| PX330201010000 | At present, how long after waking do you more | N/A | ||
Measure Name
Heaviness of Smoking - Cigarettes
Release Date
February 23, 2021
Definition
Self-report questions are used to assess the heaviness of smoking cigarettes.
Purpose
This measure can be used as an indicator of nicotine dependence and is associated with physiological measures of dependence such as carbon monoxide and cotinine levels.
Keywords
Heaviness of Smoking Index, HSI, Smoking Cessation, Harm Reduction, and Biomarkers, heaviness of smoking, time to first cigarette, TTF, number of cigarettes smoked per day, CPD, smoking, dependence
Measure Protocols
| Protocol ID | Protocol Name |
|---|---|
| 330201 | Heaviness of Smoking Index |
Publications
Fang, P., et al. (2024) A National Dental Practice-Based Research Network phase II, cluster-randomized clinical trial assessing nicotine replacement therapy sampling in dental settings: study protocol for the Free Samples for Health (FreSH) study BMC Oral Health. 2024 August; 24(1): 1007. doi: 10.1186/s12903-024-04758-w