Smoke intake among smokers is higher in lower socioeconomic groups.
OBJECTIVE
To analyse socioeconomic differences in serum thiocyanate concentrations among current smokers, and whether such differences persist after adjustment for the number of cigarettes smoked.


METHODS
General population of six districts of the Czech Republic in 1992.


METHODS
451 male and 282 female current smokers.


METHODS
Serum concentration of thiocyanate.


RESULTS
There was a clear educational gradient in serum thiocyanate among male smokers; car ownership and crowding were not related to thiocyanate. Age adjusted mean concentrations in men with primary, vocational, secondary, and university education were 168.6, 158.2, 148.2, and 141.8 micromol/l, respectively (p for trend 0.032). Adjustment for the average daily number of cigarettes explained a part of this gradient. Socioeconomic differences in serum thiocyanate were not seen in women.


CONCLUSIONS
The strong gradient in men suggests that smokers from lower socioeconomic groups have a preference for higher smoke intake and so may be more nicotine dependent. This finding, if confirmed, would have important implications for anti-smoking programmes.
Bobak
M
M
International Centre for Health and Society, Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, University College London, London, UK.
Jarvis
M J
MJ
Skodova
Z
Z
Marmot
M
M
D000280:Administration, Inhalation; D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007202:Indicators and Reagents; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010947:Plants, Toxic; D012907:Smoking; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013861:Thiocyanates / Q000097:blood; D014026:Nicotiana
D007202:Indicators and Reagents; D013861:Thiocyanates; C031760:thiocyanate