Trends in smoking behaviour between 1985 and 2000 in nine European countries by education

• DOI: 10.1136/jech.2004.025684
• Publication Date: 2005-04-14T17:13:10Z
• Authors: K Giskes; A E Kunst; J Benach; C Borrell; G Costa; E Dahl; J A A Dalstra; B Federico; U Helmert; K Judge; E Lahelma; K Moussa; P O Ostergren; S Platt; R Prattala; N K Rasmussen; J P Mackenbach
• Keywords: Danish; Smoking prevalence; Consumption; Smoking prevention

Objective: To examine whether trends in smoking behaviour Western Europe between 1985 and 2000 differed by education group. Design: Data of level were obtained from national cross sectional surveys conducted (a period characterised intense tobacco control policies) analysed for countries combined each country separately. Annual prevalence the quantity cigarettes consumed smokers summarised level. Education inequalities examined at four time points. Setting: nine European countries: Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Finland, United Kingdom, Netherlands, Germany, Italy, Spain. Participants: 451 386 non-institutionalised men women 25–79 years old. Main outcome measures: Smoking status, daily smokers. Results: Combined analyses showed greater declines consumption among tertiary educated compared with their less counterparts. In specific analyses, elementary British women, Italian than more Among Swedish, Finnish, Danish, German, Italian, Spanish seen groups. Conclusions: Widening related diseases may be several future. More insight into effective strategies specifically targeting low groups gained examining policies UK Italy over this period.