title: Smoking rate trends in U.S. occupational groups: the 1987 to 2004 National Health Interview Survey.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  It is unknown if the gap in smoking rates observed between United States blue- and white-collar workers over the past four decades has continued into the new millennium.
  
  
  METHODS
  The National Health Interview Survey is a nationally representative survey of the US civilian population. Smoking and current occupational status were assessed over survey periods 1987 to 1994 and 1997 to 2004 (n= 298,042).
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were significant annual reductions in smoking rates for all adult US workers in both survey periods. Several blue-collar groups had greater annual smoking rate reductions in the most recent survey period relative to the earlier survey period. However, the majority of blue-collar worker groups had pooled 1997 to 2004 smoking rates in excess of the 24.5% smoking prevalence noted for all workers.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Development of effective smoking prevention strategies specifically targeting blue-collar groups is warranted.
authors.affiliation: Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, Department of Epidemiology & Public Health, University of Miami Leonard M. Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL 33101, USA. dlee@med.miami.edu
authors.forename: David J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Lora E
authors.initials: LE
authors.lastname: Fleming
authors.forename: Kristopher L
authors.initials: KL
authors.lastname: Arheart
authors.forename: William G
authors.initials: WG
authors.lastname: LeBlanc
authors.forename: Alberto J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Caban
authors.forename: Katherine
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Chung-Bridges
authors.forename: Sharon L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Christ
authors.forename: Kathryn E
authors.initials: KE
authors.lastname: McCollister
authors.forename: Terry
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Pitman
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D004651:Employment / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D015995:Prevalence; D012907:Smoking / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000639:trends*; D016540:Smoking Cessation / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology