SMOKING BEHAVIORS OF AUSTRALIAN ADULTS IN 1995 - TRENDS AND CONCERNS

Objectives: To estimate the prevalence of smoking among Australian men and women in 1995 and to examine trends in smoking prevalence in Aust ralia over the past 10 years. Design: A representative sample of adult s participated in face-to-face interviews conducted by a large market research company. Participants: 2819 men and 2880 women over the age o f 16. Main outcome measure: Self-reported smoking behaviours assessed by standard questions. Results: Overall, 27.1% of men and 23.2% of wom en were smokers of tobacco (factory-made cigarettes, pipes, cigars or roll-your-own cigarettes). This difference in smoking prevalence of me n and women was significant. More men (32.1%) than women (21.7%) were past smokers and more women (53.4%) than men (39.3%) had never been re gular smokers. On average, male smokers smoked about 20 factory-made c igarettes a day,while women smoked about 18. Occupation and education levels were inversely related to smoking prevalence. Comparisons with earlier data suggest that the decline in smoking prevalence seen in pr evious surveys has ceased. However, the number of cigarettes consumed daily decreased between 1992 and 1995. In the period between 1983 and 1989, when per capita expenditure on adult antismoking campaigns rose, smoking prevalence declined, but levelled off thereafter in a period when expenditure on campaigns fell. Conclusion: Failure to find a cont inuing decline in prevalence of smoking among the Australian populatio n is of great concern and indicates the importance of continuing and e xtending antismoking programs.