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Journal of Public Health Advance Access published online on November 5, 2009
Journal of Public Health, doi:10.1093/pubmed/fdp104
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© The Author 2009, Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Faculty of Public Health. All rights reserved

Racial/ethnic and socioeconomic variations in duration of smoking: results from 2003, 2006 and 2007 Tobacco Use Supplement of the Current Population Survey


M. Siahpush, Professor of Health Promotion1
G.K. Singh, Senior Epidemiologist2
P.R. Jones, Assistant Professor of Nursing3
L.R. Timsina, Graduate Research Assistant1

1 Department of Health Promotion, Social and Behavioral Health Sciences, College of Public Health, University of Nebraska Medical Center, 986075 Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68198-6075, USA
2 US Department of Health and Human Services, Health Resources and Services Administration, Maternal and Child Health Bureau, 5600 Fishers Lane, Room 18-41, Rockville, MD 20857, USA
3 Department of Community-Based Health, College of Nursing, University of Nebraska Medical Center, 985330 Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 69198-5330, USA


Address correspondence to M. Siahpush, E-mail: msiahpush{at}unmc.edu


  Abstract

Background Little is known about racial/ethnic and socioeconomic variations in the duration of smoking. The goal of this research was to examine these variations.

Methods Data came from the 2003, 2006 and 2007 Tobacco Use Supplement of the Current Population Survey. The analysis was limited to ever-smokers (n = 117,168). The outcome was number of years of daily smoking. Survival analysis was employed to predict smoking duration.

Results American Indians with 32 years had the highest median duration of smoking, followed by Blacks and ‘other’ races with 30 years, Whites with 28 years and Hispanics with 24 years. The difference in the duration of smoking between Blacks and Whites disappeared after adjusting for poverty. Individuals in poverty had a median duration of smoking of 40 years, while those with a family income of at least three times that of the poverty threshold had a median duration of 22 years. Median duration of smoking was 40 years among individuals without a high-school diploma and 18 years among those with a bachelors or higher degree.

Conclusion This research revealed large variations in smoking duration between racial/ethnic and socioeconomic groups. Longer exposure to tobacco among groups that are already disadvantaged is likely to exacerbate existing health disparities.

Keywords: duration of smoking, racial/ethnic, socioeconomic


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