Prevalence of smoking among adults residing in the Federal District of Brasília and in the state capitals of Brazil, 2008.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the prevalence of smoking in the adult population of Brazil, in order to propose recommendations for the reduction of tobacco use.


METHODS
This was a population-based, cross-sectional study including a sample composed of residents (> 18 years of age) of the capital cities of 26 Brazilian states and in the Federal District of Brasília, Brazil. For the determination of sample size, a 95% confidence interval and a 2% sample error were defined. The participants were selected and interviewed by means of the Sistema de Vigilância de Fatores de Risco e Proteção para Doenças Crônicas por Inquérito Telefônico (VIGITEL, Telephone-based System for the Surveillance of Risk and Protective Factors for Chronic Diseases).The proportion of smokers and the number of cigarettes smoked per day were estimated and stratified according to sociodemographic variables. In addition, the male/female ratio was estimated for the prevalence of smoking.


RESULTS
The prevalence of smoking was 16.1% (20.5% among males and 12.4% among females). The proportion of adults that reported smoking > 20 cigarettes a day was 4.9%, being greater in males (6.5% vs. 3.6%). The prevalence of smoking was greater among individuals with a lower level of education (< 8 years of schooling). The number of cigarettes smoked per day by males was approximately the double that smoked by females.


CONCLUSIONS
The VIGITEL estimates indicate a reduction in the prevalence of smoking, which was, however, still greater among males than among females. The VIGITEL has been fundamental to monitoring smoking, as well as to informing decisions regarding public policies for health promotion and the prevention of chronic nontransmissible diseases.
Malta
Deborah Carvalho
DC
National Coordinator of Noncommunicable Diseases Sector of Department of Health Surveillance, Brazilian National Ministry of Health, Brasília, Brazil. dcmalta@uol.com.br
Moura
Erly Catarina
EC
Silva
Sara Araújo
SA
Oliveira
Patrícia Pereira Vasconcelos de
PP
Silva
Vera Luiza da Costa e
VL
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D040343:Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004522:Educational Status; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D017678:Sex Distribution; D012907:Smoking / Q000453:epidemiology*; D000074606:Smoking Prevention; D055815:Young Adult