Smoking reduction in a population-based cohort.
OBJECTIVE
To describe the factors associated with smoking reduction in a population-based cohort study in Cornella de Llobregat (Barcelona, Spain).


METHODS
We used data from the Cornella Health Interview Survey Follow-up Study (n = 2,500). We included for the analysis those subjects who declared to be daily smokers at baseline (1994) and continued smoking after eight years of follow-up (n = 234). We considered as operational definition of reduction to reduce > or = 10 cigarettes/day. We calculated the relative risk (RR) of smoking reduction vs. maintain or increase tobacco consumption and 95% confidence intervals (CI) by means of a Breslow-Cox regression model.


RESULTS
The average reduction on number of cigarettes among subjects who reduced their tobacco consumption was similar in men and women (13 cigarettes/day). The consumption intensity and self-perceived health are the characteristics associated with reduction: smoking reduction was associated with being a smoker > 20 cigarettes/day (RR = 3.25; 95% CI: 1.69-6.25) and individuals who declared having a suboptimal health showed a 3-fold risk of reducing smoking (RR = 3.13; 95% CI: 1.52-6.43).


CONCLUSIONS
Heavy smokers and smokers with poor health are those smokers more likely to reduce their tobacco consumption. Specific actions targeting them could lead to increase reduction and even smoking cessation.
Garcia
Montse
M
Cancer Prevention and Control Unit, Institut Català d'Oncologia, Institut d'Investigació Biomèdica de Bellvitge, Barcelona, Spain. mgarciam@ico.scs.es
Fernandez
Esteve
E
Schiaffino
Anna
A
Peris
Mercè
M
Borràs
Josep Maria
JM
D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D015331:Cohort Studies; D016001:Confidence Intervals; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D011336:Probability; D016016:Proportional Hazards Models; D012042:Registries; D012307:Risk Factors; D040242:Risk Reduction Behavior; D017678:Sex Distribution; D012907:Smoking / Q000453:epidemiology; D016540:Smoking Cessation / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D000074606:Smoking Prevention; D013030:Spain / Q000453:epidemiology; D014029:Tobacco Use Disorder / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control*