title: An updated global picture of cigarette smoking persistence among adults.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Cross-national variance in smoking prevalence is relatively well documented. The aim of this study is to estimate levels of smoking persistence across 21 countries with a hypothesized inverse relationship between country income level and smoking persistence.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data from the World Health Organization World Mental Health Survey Initiative were used to estimate cross-national differences in smoking persistence--the proportion of adults who started to smoke and persisted in smoking by the date of the survey.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There is large variation in smoking persistence from 25% (Nigeria) to 85% (China), with a random-effects meta-analytic summary estimate of 55% with considerable cross-national variation. (Cochran's heterogeneity Q statistic = 6845; p < 0.001). Meta-regressions indicated that observed differences are not attributable to differences in country's income level, age distribution of smokers, or how recent the onset of smoking began within each country.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  While smoking should remain an important public health issue in any country where smokers are present, this report identifies several countries with higher levels of smoking persistence (namely, China and India).
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology, College of Human Medicine, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA. jtroost@epi.msu.edu
authors.forename: Jonathan P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Troost
authors.forename: David A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Barondess
authors.forename: Carla L
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Storr
authors.forename: J Elisabeth
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Wells
authors.forename: Ali
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Obaid Al-Hamzawi
authors.forename: Laura Helena
authors.initials: LH
authors.lastname: Andrade
authors.forename: Evelyn
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Bromet
authors.forename: Ronny
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Bruffaerts
authors.forename: Silvia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Florescu
authors.forename: Giovanni
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: de Girolamo
authors.forename: Ron
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: de Graaf
authors.forename: Oye
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Gureje
authors.forename: Josep Maria
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Haro
authors.forename: Chiyi
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Hu
authors.forename: Yueqin
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Aimee N
authors.initials: AN
authors.lastname: Karam
authors.forename: Ronald C
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Kessler
authors.forename: Jean-Pierre
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Lepine
authors.forename: Herbert
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Matschinger
authors.forename: Maria Elena
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Medina-Mora
authors.forename: Siobhan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: O'Neill
authors.forename: Jose
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Posada-Villa
authors.forename: Rajesh
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Sagar
authors.forename: Tadashi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Takeshima
authors.forename: Toma
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Tomov
authors.forename: David R
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Williams
authors.forename: James C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Anthony
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D017668:Age of Onset; D019049:Developed Countries / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D003906:Developing Countries / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D014943:Global Health; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D015995:Prevalence; D012907:Smoking / Q000453:epidemiology*; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors