Prevalence and profile of daily smokers seen at three primary health care units in Pelotas, southern Brazil.

OBJECTIVES

To estimate the prevalence of daily smoking among users of three primary health care units affiliated with a university hospital in the municipality of Pelotas, southern Brazil, and to identify factors associated with daily tobacco consumption.

METHODS

This cross-sectional study included all individuals over 14 years of age who sought treatment at the health care units between June 29, 2009, and February 23, 2010, and lived in the area covered by the unit. Interviews were conducted during home visits to collect data on sociodemographic characteristics and health behaviors; the Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview (MINI) was used to assess the presence of mood disorders; and a question from the Alcohol, Smoking and Substance Involvement Screening Test (ASSIST) on the daily use of tobacco in the past 3 months was used to assess smoking.

RESULTS

The total sample comprised 1,848 individuals, mostly female (72.9%), aged between 46 and 60 years (28.5%), and belonging to socioeconomic class C (61%). The prevalence of daily smoking was 23.4% (n = 432), and there was a statistically significant difference between men and women: 27 vs. 22.1% (p < 0.050).

CONCLUSION

Our findings confirm a high prevalence of smoking among users of primary health care units, underscoring the need for a more accurate process of diagnosis and treatment at these facilities.