Gender and determinants of smoking cessation: A longitudinal study

Background. The less favorable trend in smoking prevalence in women compare d to men may be due to lower cessation rates. We analyzed determinants of s pontaneous smoking cessation with particular reference to gender difference s, Methods. Data on smoking were collected by questionnaire in three samples o f the adult population, examined for the first time at intervals between 19 76 and 1984, In total 11,802 (59%) subjects were smokers, and 9085 of them attended a reexamination after 5 years. Ten to 16 years later 6053 were exa mined once again, Logistic regression was performed to study the relation o f determinants to having quit after 5 and 10-16 years. Results, The prevalence of quitting was 12 and 22% at first and second foll ow up, respectively. At both reexaminations, quitting smoking was positivel y associated with male sex and cigar smoking and negatively associated with the amount of tobacco smoked, inhalation, and alcohol consumption, Further more, in women, smoking cessation was positively associated with level of e ducation and body mass index (BMI), Smoking cessation was not affected by c ohabitation status, leisure activity, or bronchitis symptoms, Conclusions. Smoking cessation initiatives should be targeted at heavy ciga rette smokers, and at women, in particular the lean and poorly educated. (C ) 1999 American Health Foundation and Academic Press.