Changes in Attitudes toward Tobacco Smoking and Factors Associated with Quitting in 9-Year Observation of PURE Poland Cohort Study

Abstract

(1) Background: This study aims to examine changes in tobacco smoking prevalence in the PURE Poland cohort study over the 9-year follow-up period. Moreover, it attempts to identify socio-demographic factors that affect changes in attitudes towards tobacco smoking. (2) Methods: The PURE Poland cohort study—baseline was performed in 2007–2010 and covered 2036 participants, including urban (59.4%) and rural (40.6%) residents of Lower Silesia, Poland. The following study reports the results of 1690 participants who took part in both the baseline (2007–2010) study and 9-year follow-up (2016–2019). (3) Results: There was a 3.5% decrease in current smokers during the analyzed period (from 20.2% at the baseline study to 16.7% in the 9-year follow-up). Living in rural area increased the likelihood of being a current smoker by more than 1.5-fold (OR = 1.65 CI = 1.26–2.14) and decreased the likelihood of being a former smoker (OR = 0.70 CI = 0.57–0.86). In the 9-year follow-up period, more women were current smokers than men (17.2% vs. 16.0%) and women had lower chances of being former smokers than men (OR = 0.77 CI = 0.62–0.95). People with a primary education had 1.5-fold higher likelihood of being a current smoker (OR = 1.45 CI = 1.03–2.05). Nearly 11% significant increase in the percentage of current smokers was observed in the oldest age group (1.9% in the baseline study vs. 12.6% in the follow-up period). (4) Conclusions: The results obtained during 9 years of observation indicate the necessity of intensifying anti-tobacco programs especially targeting women, elderly population, people with lower level of education, rural residents, and the unemployed.

Comparison of attempts and plans to quit tobacco products among single, dual, and triple users

“…In particular, even single users with higher levels of addiction were less likely to attempt or plan to quit smoking, calling for effective measures to nudge them from the pre-contemplation stage to the contemplation stage in terms of quitting smoking 19 . In this regard, studies have shown that intentions to quit tobacco use increase as smokers develop an increased awareness of the benefits of quitting or the severity of the harms caused by tobacco use 20 .…”

Comparison of anthropometric indicators related to overweight and obesity by place of residence in a local community with a high social deprivation rate – a cross-sectional study

“…It should be noted that there are many discrepancies in health condition between rural and urban residents [8,9], and according to some studies, the incidence and mortality rates of NCDs are higher in rural areas [10]. This might be because rural residents have less access to healthcare services [11], but they also tend to exhibit anti-health behaviours more frequently, such as smoking [12] and leading more sedentary lives [13]. Additionally, it has been observed that urbanization has an impact on people's health in both rural and urban areas [14].…”