Unemployment and change in smoking behaviour among Danish adults

Abstract

Correspondence to : Merete Osler, Institute of Social Medicine, University of Copenhagen, Blegdamsvej 3, 2200 N, Denmark Abstract Objective -To describe changes during the period 1982 to 1992 in the prevalence of daily smoking in relation to occu pation, and to examine the effect of becoming unemployed on smoking pre valence among Danish men and women. Design Questionnaire data collected in two independent cross-sectional studies. In 1982 the participation rate was 79% among 4807 randomly selected men and women aged 30, 40, 50, and 60 years. In 1992 it was 73% among 2226 randomly selected men and women of similar ages. Five years later the participants from the study in 1982 were re-examined. Of the 2432 men and women who were employed at the initial examination, 190 had been unemployed for more than one month. Setting Eleven municipalities in the county of Copenhagen. Main outcome measures Prevalence of daily and heavy smoking. Results From 1982 to 1992, the preva lence of daily smoking decreased from 59 % to 48 % in men and from 50 % to 46 % in women, but the falling prevalence was found only among skilled workers and in the group of salaried employees and civil servants. An existing occupational differ ence in smoking prevalence was en hanced. In the 1982 study 63 % of women who subsequently experienced un employment smoked daily; this was a significantly higher percentage than the 47 % of daily smokers among women who remained continuously employed. In men there was no such difference. The ex perience of unemployment during the five-year follow up was not associated with increased prevalence of daily smok ing in men or women. Conclusion Smoking prevalence de clined in Denmark in the 1980s, during which time the disparity in smoking by occupational status increased. Becoming unemployed was not associated with in creased prevalence of smoking in men or women.