Premature mortality in lung cancer as an indicator of effectiveness of tobacco use prevention in a gender perspective--a comparison between Poland and Sweden.
This contribution presents a comparative analysis of the probability of premature overall deaths and lung cancer mortality for men and women between one Nordic country--Sweden--and one country in transition in central Europe, namely Poland. Furthermore the study compares the pattern of smoking prevalence for both sexes in the two countries. Male lung cancer mortality is constant in Sweden during the last two decades, which is completely contrary to the trend in Poland with a long period of increase followed by a slow decrease during the last years. Lung cancer mortality for women in both countries is on a continuous increase and the rate is exactly the same. The premature mortality in lung cancer in Sweden in the age group of 20-44 years now is higher for women than for men. Swedish men have reduced their smoking habit strongly and far more than Polish men (17 respectively 42% 1999). The male use of moist snuff in Sweden is taken into consideration when discussing the low rate of lung cancer in Sweden. Concerning the pattern of tobacco use it is obvious that Swedish and Polish women during the last decades have had the same and slowly decreasing smoking prevalence (21 respectively 23% 1999). The conclusion is that the best way to control the lung cancer epidemic is to reduce smoking prevalence in the population. Lung cancer mortality in younger and middle aged groups is a good indicator of the success in tobacco control in a country as well for women as for men, especially in the middle age groups.
Wramner
B
B
Department of Public Health Sciences, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.
Zatonski
W
W
Pellmer
K
K
D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000401:mortality*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011044:Poland / Q000453:epidemiology; D015995:Prevalence; D011336:Probability; D017678:Sex Distribution; D012907:Smoking / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000453:epidemiology*; D000074606:Smoking Prevention; D013548:Sweden / Q000453:epidemiology