Abstract
ABSTRACTOBJECTIVE To estimate the prevalence of smoking and associated factors among rural residents.METHODS This is a population-based, cross-sectional study of 1,519 individuals carried out in 2016. We randomly selected 24 of the 50 census tracts that make up the eight rural districts of the city of Pelotas, State of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. All individuals aged 18 years or more living in the randomly selected households were eligible. Smokers were all those who smoked ≥ 1 cigarette/day for at least one month or declared that they had stopped smoking for less than one month. The independent variables included socioeconomic, demographic, behavioral, and health characteristics. We investigated age of onset, duration of addiction, number of cigarettes smoked/day, pack-years, and types of cigarettes consumed. Poisson regression was performed to calculate the adjusted prevalence ratios (PR) and 95% confidence intervals (95%CI).RESULTS The prevalence of smoking was 16.6% (95%CI 13.6–20.0), and it was twice as high in men in relation to women (PR = 1.99, 95%CI 1.44–2.74), in socioeconomic class D or E in relation to class A or B (PR = 2.23, 95%CI 1.37–3.62), and in those who considered their health poor or very poor in relation those with good or very good health (PR = 2.02, 95%CI 1.33–3.08). It was also higher in persons aged 30–59 years (compared to those aged < 30 years), with 5–8 years of education level (compared to those with ≥ 9 years), and with positive screening for alcohol-related disorder. Prevalence was lower among individuals who were overweight or obese than in those with normal weight. Smoking began on average at 16.9 years, with an average consumption of approximately 14 cigarettes/day and mean pack-years of 22 packs/year. The paper hand-rolled cigarette was the most consumed (57.6%).CONCLUSIONS Approximately one in six adults in rural Pelotas is a current smoker. The findings show the existence of social inequalities related to smoking addiction. Actions to prevent and control smoking should continue to be stimulated, especially in the most vulnerable subgroups.
Highlights
Prevalence was lower among individuals who were overweight or obese than in those with normal weight
Smoking is recognized as an epidemic disease, a major risk factor for chronic non-communicable diseases (NCD), and it accounts for approximately six million deaths per year worldwide according to the World Health Organization (WHO)[1]
Among the countries participating in the Global Adult Tobacco Survey (GATS) – a global system for the monitoring of tobacco consumption that uses national surveys with comparable methodologies to obtain information from low- and middle-income countries, Brazil presented the lowest prevalence of current smokers[6]
Summary
Smoking is recognized as an epidemic disease, a major risk factor for chronic non-communicable diseases (NCD), and it accounts for approximately six million deaths per year worldwide according to the World Health Organization (WHO)[1]. It is estimated that there are approximately one billion smokers worldwide[1]; in this sense, the goal of the Global Action Plan for the Prevention and Control of NCD is to reduce in 30% the prevalence of smoking between 2013 and 20202. National surveys carried out between 1989 and 2013 indicate a continuous decrease in the prevalence of smoking[4,5]. Despite this decrease, the prevalence is still high (14.7%) and varies according to sociodemographic characteristics, region of the country, and location (urban or rural area)[5]
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