Socioeconomic differences in smoking cessation: the role of social participation.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study was to investigate whether psychosocial resources explain socioeconomic differences in smoking cessation and its maintenance.


METHODS
A subpopulation of 11,837 individuals from the Malmö Diet and Cancer Study interviewed in 1992-94, age range 45-64 years, was investigated in this cross-sectional study. A multivariate logistic regression model was used to assess relative risks of having stopped smoking, adjusting for age, country of origin, previous/current diseases, and marital status.


RESULTS
An odds ratio of 1.9 (1.4-2.5; 95% CI) for men and 2.0 (1.4-2.7; 95% CI) for women of having stopped smoking was found for higher non-manual employees when compared with unskilled manual workers. A decrease in these odds ratios was found when social participation was introduced into the model. The other three social network and social support variables were non-significant.


CONCLUSIONS
High social participation is a predictor of maintenance of smoking cessation. It seems possible to interpret parts of the socioeconomic differences in smoking cessation and its maintenance as a consequence of differing social network resources and social capital between socioeconomic groups.
Lindström
M
M
Department of Community Medicine, Malmö University Hospital, Lund University, Malmö, Sweden. martin.lindstrom@smi.mas.lu.se
Hanson
B S
BS
Ostergren
P O
PO
Berglund
G
G
D000367:Age Factors; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016013:Likelihood Functions; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D009790:Occupations; D016017:Odds Ratio; D012737:Sex Factors; D016540:Smoking Cessation / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012944:Social Support; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013548:Sweden