Justyna Szlaza
Zdrowie Publiczne i Zarządzanie, Tom 7, Numer 2, 2009, s. 36 - 43
Trends in daily cigarette smoking among women at childbearing age, Poland 1974–2004
This paper analyzes changes in daily smoking among Polish women at childbearing age (15–49). The analysis is based on nation-wide randomized surveys of adult Polish population (aged 15+) from 1974–2004. Study results show rapid increase of daily smoking rates in women at childbearing age from around 22% to 39% between 1974 and 1982. Since then, daily smoking has constantly decreased in this population (to around 30% in 2000–2004). The analysis also showed that in 1974 daily smoking rates in high educated women were much higher (20%) than in low educated women (13%). Today, the highest rates of daily smoking are observed in low educated women (32%) and the lowest in high educated women (21%). It was caused by biggest decline in daily smoking in higher educated women as compared with lower educated women. Above changes create new challenges in tobacco control and require new strategy in smoking prevention programs addressed to women population.