Urban-rural gradient in tobacco consumption and cessation patterns in Brazil

Abstract

The degree of urbanization has been associated with both tobacco consumption and quit rates. The current study aims to examine the importance of the urban-rural context in the determination of tobacco consumption patterns and smoking cessation. Data were used from the supplement of the Special Survey on Smoking (PETab) from the 2008 Brazilian National Household Sample Survey (PNAD). The sample included 14,420 individuals over 15 years of age, of whom 7,003 were current smokers and 7,417 former smokers in the PETab. Smoking prevalence and cessation rates were calculated. Individuals were stratified according to urban and rural residence. Other sociodemographic variables were also analyzed: sex, age bracket, race, and schooling. To explore the difference in smoking prevalence and cessation rate for each stratum in the census situation, the data were adjusted using a Poisson model. Smoking prevalence was higher in places less influenced by the urban environment. Meanwhile, smoking cessation was higher in more urbanized places. Smoking prevalence showed a decrease in consumption as the population's urban characteristics increased (PR = 0.75 for eminently urban vs eminently rural, p = 0.001). Smoking cessation trends showed that the more urban population was more prone to quitting (PR = 1.22 for eminently urban vs eminently rural, p < 0.001). The results point to the need to improve the effectiveness of services for follow-up and encouragement of cessation in rural areas.