Occupational status, work-site cessation programs and policies and menthol smoking on quitting behaviors of US smokers.
OBJECTIVE
This exploratory study sought to examine the relationships among occupational status, menthol smoking preference and employer-sponsored smoking cessation programs and policies on quitting behaviors.


METHODS
Data for this cross-sectional study were obtained from the 2006 Tobacco Use Supplement to the Current Population Survey (TUS CPS), a large national survey representative of the civilian population, containing approximately 240,000 respondents. The total sample for the current study was 30,176.


METHODS
The TUS CPS regularly collects data on cigarette prevalence, quitting behaviors, smoking history and consumption patterns. We performed a logistic regression with 'life-time quitting smoking for 1 day or longer because they were trying to quit' as outcome variable. Independent variables included type of occupation, employer-sponsored cessation programs and policies and menthol status.


RESULTS
When controlling for occupational status and work-place policies, there were no differences for menthol versus non-menthol smokers on quitting behaviors [odds ratio (OR) = 0.98; 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.83, 1.15]. Service workers were less likely to quit compared with white-collar workers (OR = 0.80; 95% CI = 0.69, 0.94), and those with no employer-sponsored cessation program were less likely to quit (OR = 0.70; 95% CI = 0.60, 0.83). White-collar workers, compared with blue-collar and service workers, were more likely to have a smoking policy in the work area (93% versus 86% versus 88%, respectively).


CONCLUSIONS
When occupational status and work-place smoking policies are controlled for, smokers of menthol cigarettes in the United States appear to have similar self-reported life-time rates of attempts to stop smoking to non-menthol smokers.
Department of Health Behavior, College of Public Health, University of Kentucky, USA. lindaalex@uky.edu
Linda A
LA
Alexander
Tim
T
Crawford
Marta S
MS
Mendiondo
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D004651:Employment / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D004812:Epidemiologic Methods; D005260:Female; D054625:Healthcare Disparities / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D007221:Industry / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008297:Male; D008610:Menthol; D009786:Occupational Health Services / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D016134:Organizational Policy; D012907:Smoking / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000628:therapy; D016540:Smoking Cessation / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D014028:Tobacco Smoke Pollution / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology; D017132:Workplace / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D055815:Young Adult
D014028:Tobacco Smoke Pollution; D008610:Menthol