title: A prevalence study of current tobacco smoking in later life community and its association with sociodemographic factors, physical health and mental health status.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Evaluate the frequency of current smoking in elderly people living in urban areas of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cross-sectional design. A representative sample of 6,961 elderly, randomly selected subjects, living in a community, was examined to estimate the frequency of current tobacco smoking. Tobacco use was measured by means of a household questionnaire administered by trained interviewers that inquired about current tobacco use, sociodemographic characteristics, self-rated physical and health status. Mental health was evaluated using the Short Psychiatric Evaluation Schedule (SPES).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The prevalence of tobacco use was 28.9% among men, 13.6% among women and 18.8% for both sexes. Male gender (OR = 3.25), low income (OR = 1.52), years of schooling (illiterate) (OR = 1.35), non-Protestant religion (OR = 2.17) and absence of physical exercise (OR = 1.21) presented positive and independent association with tobacco use. Presence of pulmonary disease (OR = 1.93) and mental distress (OR = 1.32) and absence of cardiac disease (OR = 1.51), high blood pressure (OR = 1.51) and diabetes (OR = 1.50) were independently associated with an increased chance of current tobacco use. Increasing age (OR = 0.93) and marital status (married) (OR = 0.66) presented independent and negative association with smoking.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Factors associated with an increased chance of tobacco smoking were: being men, illiterate, with lower income, presence of respiratory and mental disease, and absence of cardiac disease, high blood pressure and diabetes. Factors associated with a decreased risk of tobacco smoking were: aging, exercise, Protestant religion and marriage.
authors.affiliation: Center for Alzheimer Disease and Related Disorders (CDA), Institute of Psychiatry (IPUB), Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. vmarinho@rionet.com.br
authors.forename: Valeska
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Marinho
authors.forename: Sergio Luís
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Blay
authors.forename: Sérgio Baxter
authors.initials: SB
authors.lastname: Andreoli
authors.forename: Fábio
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Gastal
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D008603:Mental Health / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008875:Middle Aged; D016017:Odds Ratio; D015995:Prevalence; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012111:Residence Characteristics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D017678:Sex Distribution; D012907:Smoking / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014505:Urban Population / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*