Trends in smoking prevalence in Danish adults, 1964-1994 - The influence of gender, age and education

Background: Studies of time trends in smoking prevalence provide a better u nderstanding of the determinants of smoking. The present study analyses cha nges over time in the prevalence of smelting and heavy smoking in relation to sex, age, and education. Methods: Data on smoking behaviour were collected by questionnaire in rando m samples of the general population in the area of Copenhagen. The database used included 71,842 measurements of smoking behaviour for 32,156 subjects aged 30 years or more, who had been examined at intervals between 1964 and 1994. In bi- and multivariate analyses the effects of sex, age, education, time period, and study group on the prevalence of smoking and of heavy smo king were assessed. Results: Smoking was least prevalent in women, in the oldest age group (mor e than 70 years), and among those with 8 years or more of school education. During the study period (from 1964/74 to 1990/94), the prevalence of smoki ng decreased from 72% to 54% in men and from 52% to 46% in women. In both m en and women this decrease was smallest in the least educated (less than 8 years of school education). Heavy smoking was also least prevalent in women , in the oldest age group, and among the well educated. During the study pe riod, the unadjusted prevalence of heavy smoking decreased from 52% to 38% in men, while it increased from 17% to 21% in women. The multivariate analy sis showed that the lime trend for heavy smoking only depended on sex, whil e educational attainment and age had no impact on the trend. Conclusion: During the last 30 years the prevalence of smoking has decrease d in Denmark. The decrease has been smallest in women, and among the least educated, and the increasing trend in the prevalence of heavy smoking in wo men is a cause for concern.