Tobacco smoking in male and female population, Poland 1974–2004
On the basis of nation-wide randomized surveys, this paper analyzes patterns and trends of smoking prevalence in Polish adult (20+) population. In 1974, 62% of adult men and 19% of women smoked daily. In 1982, smoking rates reached the highest level ever observed in Poland (among Poles aged 20–39, 70-80% of men and 0-50% of women smoked daily). Percent of former smokers was low (15% for men, 6% for women). There was also big gender difference in prevalence of never smoking (15% in men, 70% in women). In the past two decades, substantial decline in smoking prevalence is observed. In men, decline in smoking rates (43% of daily smokers in 2000–2004), contributed to decrease in lung cancer mortality. In women, smoking rates have not changed since the mid-1980s and did not led to decrease in lung cancer mortality, however, there are three different age-specific time trends in smoking prevalence in female population.
