A prevalence study of current tobacco smoking in later life community and its association with sociodemographic factors, physical health and mental health status

Objective Evaluate the frequency of current smoking in elderly people living in urban areas of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. Methods Cross-sectional design. A representative sample of 6,961 elderly, randomly selected subjects, living in a community, was examined to estimate the frequency of current tobacco smoking. Tobacco use was measured by means of a household questionnaire administered by trained interviewers that inquired about current tobacco use, sociodemographic characteristics, self-rated physical and health status. Mental health was evaluated using the Short Psychiatric Evaluation Schedule (SPES). Results The prevalence of tobacco use was 28.9% among men, 13.6% among women and 18.8% for both sexes. Male gender (OR = 3.25), low income (OR = 1.52), years of schooling (illiterate) (OR = 1.35), non-Protestant religion (OR = 2.17) and absence of physical exercise (OR = 1.21) presented positive and independent association with tobacco use. Presence of pulmonary disease (OR = 1.93) and mental distress (OR = 1.32) and absence of cardiac disease (OR = 1.51), high blood pressure (OR = 1.51) and diabetes (OR = 1.50) were independently associated with an increased chance of current tobacco use. Increasing age (OR = 0.93) and marital status (married) (OR = 0.66) presented independent and negative association with smoking. Conclusion Factors associated with an increased chance of tobacco smoking were: being men, illiterate, with lower income, presence of respiratory and mental disease, and absence of cardiac disease, high blood pressure and diabetes. Factors associated with a decreased risk of tobacco smoking were: aging, exercise, Protestant religion and marriage.