title: Predictors of Smoking Cessation in Old-Old Age.
abstract: There is a dearth of knowledge on smoking cessation in older adults. This study examined predictors of smoking cessation in persons over age 75.
  
  
  
  This study is a secondary analysis of a prospective longitudinal study. A sample of 619 older persons aged 75-94 was drawn from a representative cohort of older persons in Israel and was examined longitudinally. By means of interviews, we assessed smoking, health, Activities of Daily Living (ADL), Instrumental ADL, cognitive dysfunction, and well-being.
  
  
  
  Continuing smokers tended to be lonelier. Participants who quit smoking took more medications and had greater cognitive dysfunction compared to those who continued smoking.
  
  
  
  Greater cognitive dysfunction and high medication use or the physical causes for high medication use may precipitate smoking cessation in persons aged 75-94, potentially through a greater influence of caregivers on one's lifestyle.
  
  
  
  Cognitive dysfunction and high medication use predicted smoking cessation. Smoking cessation for long time smokers may be influenced by greater ill health. Influence of caregivers may augment smoking cessation. Given these findings, for persistent smokers into old age, smoking cessation may occur at the time of physical and functional decline during the end of life period.
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Promotion, School of Public Health, Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel; Herczeg Institute on Aging, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel; Minerva Center for Interdisciplinary Study of End of Life, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel jiska@post.tau.ac.il.
authors.forename: Jiska
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Cohen-Mansfield
mesh_terms: D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D016330:Frail Elderly; D006801:Humans; D007557:Israel / Q000453:epidemiology; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012907:Smoking / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D016540:Smoking Cessation / Q000523:psychology*; D000074606:Smoking Prevention; D012934:Social Isolation