Pattern of smoking and socioeconomic status in two cohorts of young adults Patrón de tabaquismo y nivel socioeconómico en dos cohortes de adultos jóvenes

Abstract

© 2018, Sociedad Medica de Santiago. All Rights reserved. Background: One in five deaths that occur in Chile can be attributed to smoking whose prevalence remains high, despite interventions aimed at reducing it. Aim: To compare the prevalence of smoking and its intensity among young adults born 15 years apart and determine their association with socioeconomic status (SES). Material and Methods: Two cohorts of young adults living in the Valparaiso Region of Chile were evaluated in the third decade of life. Cohort 1 was evaluated between 2000 and 2002 (n = 1232) and cohort 2 between 2014 and 2017 (n = 1078). Results: In cohort 1, 57.5% (95% Confidence Interval (CI) 54.6-58.7) of the subjects reported smoking, with a median of 3 (Interquartile range (ICR:1-6) cigarettes/day. This percentage fell to 40.2% (CI: 37.5-43.1) with a similar median in cohort 2. Analyzing cohort 2, the odds ratio (OR) for smoking was 2.24 (CI 1.48-3.38) in the medium SES, compared with the medium high SES. The f