[Mortality attributable to tobacco consumption in Galicia (Spain): 1980-2007].

UNLABELLED

BACKGROUND AND OJECTIVE: Tobacco attributable mortality offers a complementary view to smoking prevalence, giving an estimate of its impact at population level. The purpose of this study is to measure the impact, using mortality figures, of tobacco consumption in the Galician population over 34 years from 1980 to 2007, and identify any changes of trend.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Attributable mortality was estimated using a prevalence independent method that is based on population attributable fractions. Relative risks and mortality rates due to lung cancer in smokers and non-smokers came from the Cancer Prevention Study-II. Annual attributable mortality rates were calculated and the presence of any trends was tested using joinpoint regression models.

RESULTS

During the studied time period (1980-2007) it is estimated that tobacco use has caused 93,308 deaths in Galicia (87,674 in men and 5,634 in women). Attributable mortality rates in men show a decreasing tendency from the middle 90s onwards (annual percent change: -1.8%). However in women there is an increasing trend starting from the period 1988-1989 (annual percent change:28.4%).

CONCLUSIONS

Tobacco consumption has entailed an important burden of mortality from 1980 to 2007. The decreasing tendency in attributable mortality rates in men is an encouraging result, but its increase in young women is rather alarming.