Association of smoking with urgency in older people

Objective: To evaluate the association of smoking with urgency in older peo ple. Methods:A population-based survey involving 1,059 people aged 60-89 years. A stratified sampling method was used and data were collected by interviews . The response rate was 82%. The indicators were urgency, former and curren t smoking, alcohol and coffee drinking. Prevalences of urgency were calcula ted for 15-year age groups of the two genders. Logistic regression models w ere used to analyse the age-adjusted association of urgency with smoking, u se of alcohol and coffee drinking in the whole study population and separat ely in the two gender groups. Results:The prevalence of urgency was lowest among younger men (6.6%) and h ighest among older women (19.5%). In the whole study population including b oth genders the current smokers were at greater risk of suffering from urge ncy [OR (odds ratio) 2.76; 95% Cl (confidence interval) 1.43-5.32] than the never-smokers while the OR of urgency for former smokers was 1.63 (95% Cl 0.97-2.74). In the separate models for the two genders the current male smo kers (OR 2.55; 95% Cl 1.13-5.73) and the former female smokers (OR 2.62; 95 % Cl 1.14-6.0) were at greater risk. The OR for current female smokers was 2.54 (95% Cl 0.79-8.22), but the group was very small. Alcohol use and coff ee drinking were not associated with urgency. Conclusion: Smoking is associated with urgency in older people. Especially current smokers are at greater risk than never-smokers. The prevalence of u rgency is higher among women and is increased in both genders with advancin g age. The study material being cross-sectional the causal relationship can not be confirmed. Copyright (C) 2001 S. Karger AG, Basel.