Prevalence and determinants of current and secondhand smoking in Greece: results from the Global Adult Tobacco Survey (GATS) study

• Published in: BMJ open 2017-01, Vol.7 (1), p.e013150
• Main Authors: Rachiotis, George, Barbouni, Anastasia, Katsioulis, Antonis, Antoniadou, Eleni, Kostikas, Konstantinos, Merakou, Kyriakoula, Kourea, Kallirrhoe, Khoury, Rula N, Tsouros, Agis, Kremastinou, Jenny, Hadjichristodoulou, Christos
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Adults; Age; Age Distribution; Aged; Census of Population; Censuses; Cigarette Smoking - epidemiology; Cross-Sectional Studies; Disease control; Disease prevention; Female; Greece - epidemiology; Health promotion; Households; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Population; Prevalence; Questionnaires; Response rates; Restaurants - statistics & numerical data; Risk Factors; Sex Distribution; Smoking; Smoking and Tobacco; Surveys and Questionnaires; Tobacco smoke; Tobacco Smoke Pollution - statistics & numerical data; Young Adult
• ISSN: 2044-6055; 2044-6055
• DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2016-013150

ObjectivesGreece is one of the leading tobacco-producing countries in European Union, and every year over 19 000 Greeks die from tobacco-attributable diseases. The aim of the present study was to provide nationally representative estimates on current and secondhand smoking prevalence in Greece and their determinants.DesignCross-sectional.SettingGreece.ParticipantsA total of 4359 individuals participated in the Global Adult Tobacco Survey (GATS), a household survey of adults ≥15 years old (overall response rate 69%). They were selected through a multistage geographically clustered sampling design with face-to-face interview.Primary and secondary outcome measuresIn 2013, we investigated the prevalence of current and secondhand smoking and their determinants. Univariate and logistic regression analysis was used in order to identify possible risk factors associated with the prevalence of current and secondhand smoking.ResultsThe prevalence of current smoking was 38.2% (95% CI 35.7% to 40.8%), and the mean number of cigarettes smoked per day was 19.8. Multivariate analysis confirmed that male gender (OR=3.24; 95% CI 2.62 to 4.00), age groups (25–39, OR=4.49; 95% CI 3.09 to 8.46 and 40–54, OR=3.51; 95% CI 1.88 to 5.87) and high school education (OR=1.97; 95% CI 1.41 to 2.74) were independently associated with the current smoking. Remarkably, responders with primary or less education had the lowest prevalence of current smoking (p