Department Of Clinical Science, Malmö University Hospital, Clinical Research Centre (CRC), Lund University, 204 02 Malmö, Sweden.
Eur J Public Health. 2011 Jun;21(3):347-54. doi: 10.1093/eurpub/ckq048. Epub 2010 Jun 21.
Smoking prevalence across high-income countries such as the United Kingdom has significantly decreased over the past few decades; this decrease, however, has not occurred uniformly across social strata. The highest concentrations of smokers are currently found in lower-income groups. Lack of access to material resources and differing social norms have been cited as possible causes of this imbalance in smoking behaviour. Social capital, measured by trust and levels of community participation, has also been postulated to influence health behaviour.
Data from the British Household Panel Survey were used to identify smoking and non-smoking cohorts at baseline (N = 10,512); from these, individuals whose smoking behaviour had changed (the dependent variable) were identified. Measures of social capital, income, employment and marital status, and considered confounders were tested for associations with changes in smoking behaviour over a 2-year period. Both bivariate and multivariate models were utilized to elicit associations.
Only marital and employment status, along with social capital measures, remained significantly associated with changes in smoking behaviour. Individual/household income, baseline social class and general/psychological health failed to demonstrate any significant association with changes in smoking status.
Support mechanisms (via marriage and employment) and elements social capital (measured by 'trust' and 'social participation') are independently and positively associated with smoking cessation; continual lack of active social participation and remaining single are associated with smoking initiation. Smoking interventions should consider increased participation as an intrinsic part of their design.
在英国等高收入国家，吸烟率在过去几十年中显著下降；然而，这种下降并非在社会各阶层均匀发生。目前，吸烟者最集中的人群是低收入群体。缺乏物质资源和不同的社会规范被认为是这种吸烟行为失衡的可能原因。社会资本，用信任和社区参与程度来衡量，也被认为会影响健康行为。
利用英国家庭面板调查的数据，在基线时确定吸烟和不吸烟的队列（N=10512）；从这些队列中，确定了吸烟行为发生变化的个体（因变量）。测试了社会资本、收入、就业和婚姻状况等措施，以及被认为是混杂因素的与吸烟行为在两年内变化的相关性。利用双变量和多变量模型来探究关联。
只有婚姻和就业状况以及社会资本措施与吸烟行为的变化仍然显著相关。个人/家庭收入、基线社会阶层和一般/心理健康与吸烟状况的变化没有显示出任何显著的关联。
支持机制（通过婚姻和就业）和社会资本要素（通过“信任”和“社会参与”来衡量）与戒烟独立且呈正相关；持续缺乏积极的社会参与和保持单身与吸烟开始有关。吸烟干预措施应考虑将增加参与作为其设计的内在部分。
