[Prevalence of tobacco smoking among urban population of Samara and causative factors].

AIM

To examine prevalence and intensity of smoking among general population of Samara, physicians and students of Samara Medical University; to study dependence of this prevalence on different social factors.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

A representative sample of adult population was selected by the lists of outpatients of Samara outpatient clinic. The study enrolled 2931 outpatients (1272 males, 1659 females aged 15 years and older)--3.95% of all Samara outpatients. The questionnaire survey covered 360 physicians aged 28-57 years (the response 96.5%), 652 senior medical students aged 21-24 years (the response 93.14%). The results were processed with the statistical computer program BIOSTAT.

RESULTS

The percentage of smoking men among 15-19-year-olds was 42.94%, 20-29-year-olds--59.29% (p < 0.01), 30-39-year-olds--62.18%, 60-year-olds and older--35.64%. This proportion for smoking women was 15.04%, 27.11% (p < 0.01), 22.92%, 9.06% (p < 0.001), 5.04%, respectively. Among male physicians smokers were 47.37% (14.29% smoked less than 10 cigarettes, 50.79%--10-20 cigarettes, 34.92%--more than 20 cigarettes a day); 16.54% male physicians smoked earlier, 36.09% never smoked. Relevant percentage for female physicians was 25.99 (38.98, 47.46, 13.56, 13.66 and 60.35, respectively). Among male medical students smokers were 58.6% (29.2% less than 10 cigarettes a day, 55.8%--0-20, 14.9%--more than 20 cigarettes a day); 9.1% smoked earlier, 32.3% never smoked. Among female medical students smokers were 20.3% (70.9, 21.5, 7.6, 9.3 and 70.4%, respectively).

CONCLUSION

Tobacco smoking depends on education and marital status. Both in men and women the least number of smokers are among persons with higher education and married ones.