An updated global picture of cigarette smoking persistence among adults

Abstract Background Cross-national variance in smoking prevalence is relatively well documented. The aim of this study is to estimate levels of smoking persistence across 21 countries with a hypothesized inverse relationship between country income level and smoking persistence. Methods Data from the...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of epidemiology and global health 2012, Vol.2 (3), p.135-144
Main Authors: Troost, Jonathan P, Barondess, David A, Storr, Carla L, Elisabeth Wells, J, Al-Hamzawi, Ali Obaid, Andrade, Laura Helena, Bromet, Evelyn, Bruffaerts, Ronny, Florescu, Silvia, Girolamo, Giovanni de, Graaf, Ron de, Gureje, Oye, Haro, Josep Maria, Hu, Chiyi, Huang, Yueqin, Karam, Aimee N, Kessler, Ronald C, Lepine, Jean-Pierre, Matschinger, Herbert, Medina-Mora, Maria Elena, O’Neill, Siobhan, Posada-Villa, Jose, Sagar, Rajesh, Takeshima, Tadashi, Tomov, Toma, Williams, David R, Anthony, James C
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Internal Medicine
Meta-analysis
Research Article
Smoking persistence
Tobacco
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Summary:Abstract Background Cross-national variance in smoking prevalence is relatively well documented. The aim of this study is to estimate levels of smoking persistence across 21 countries with a hypothesized inverse relationship between country income level and smoking persistence. Methods Data from the World Health Organization World Mental Health Survey Initiative were used to estimate cross-national differences in smoking persistence—the proportion of adults who started to smoke and persisted in smoking by the date of the survey. Results There is large variation in smoking persistence from 25% (Nigeria) to 85% (China), with a random-effects meta-analytic summary estimate of 55% with considerable cross-national variation. (Cochran’s heterogeneity Q statistic = 6845; p < 0.001). Meta-regressions indicated that observed differences are not attributable to differences in country’s income level, age distribution of smokers, or how recent the onset of smoking began within each country. Conclusion While smoking should remain an important public health issue in any country where smokers are present, this report identifies several countries with higher levels of smoking persistence (namely, China and India).
ISSN:2210-6006
2210-6014
2210-6006
DOI:10.1016/j.jegh.2012.06.003