PREVALENCE AND FEATURES ASSOCIATED WITH S MOKING IN THE GENERAL-POPULATION IN BARCELONA FROM 1983 TO 1992

Objectives. To describe the evolution of smoking habits in the general population of Barcelona from 1983 to 1992 and motivation of smokers a nd the perceived social pressure to leave smoking in 1992. Design. Cro ss-sectional descriptive study of trends. Place and participants. From 1983 to 1992 two health surveys were conducted with independent sampl es of the general population not living in an institution (n = 3,134 a nd n = 5,004, respectively) with an age greater than or equal to 15 ye ars and resident in Barcelona. Results. Prevalence of smoking for the study period among males had decreased significantly, from 54.6% to 46 .2%, whereas in females a nonsignificant increase was observed, from 2 0.9% to 25.4%. The most marked decrease in smoking among males has occ urred in the upper socioeconomic levels (I and II), whereas the increa se among women has occurred in the lower socioeconomic levels (IV and V). In 1992 half of smokers of both sexes admitted the wish to leave s moking and a third part to have tried to do so sometime. Approximately 30% of smokers report to have been required to stop smoking indoor so metime. Conclusions. From 1983 and 1992 a decrease was observed in ove rall differences of smoking prevalence among both sexes, whereas diffe rences associated with socioeconomic levels increased, with a higher c onsume in the mid-low levels. More than half of smokers wish to leave smoking, which indicates the need for spreading and reinforcing method s to leave smoking among predisposed smokers.