Sex differences in smoking habit by educational and marital status in a representative Japanese population: the NIPPON DATA2010

Nishi, Nobuo

Sex differences in smoking habit by educational and marital status in a representative Japanese population: the NIPPON DATA2010

Monday, 18 August 2014

Exhibit hall (Dena'ina Center)

Nobuo Nishi, MD , National Institute of Health and Nutrition, Tokyo, Japan

Nagako Okuda, MD , National Institute of Health and Nutrition, Tokyo, Japan

Takehito Hayakawa, PhD , Fukushima Medical University, Fukushima, Japan

Akira Fujiyoshi, MD , Shiga University of Medical Science, Otsu, Japan

Aya Kadota, MD , Osaka Kyoiku University, Kashiwara, Japan

Takayoshi Ohkubo, MD , Teikyo University, Tokyo, Japan

Yasuyuki Nakamura, MD , Kyoto Women's University, Kyoto, Japan

Kiyomi Sakata, MD , Iwate Medical University, Iwate, Japan

Tomonori Okamura, MD , Keio University, Tokyo, Japan

Hirotsugu Ueshima, MD , Shiga University of Medical Science, Otsu, Japan

Akira Okayama, MD , Japan Anti-Tuberculosis Association, Tokyo, Japan

Katsuyuki Miura, MD , Shiga University of Medical Science, Otsu, Japan

INTRODUCTION: In recent years, smoking prevalence of the Japanese men is decreasing, but is still over 40% for middle-aged men. In women, it is unchanged, but is around 15% in their 30’s. This study aimed to examine socioeconomic differences in smoking habit in a representative Japanese population.

METHODS: Subjects were aged 20 years and older, and a part of the participants of the National Health and Nutrition Survey of Japan in 2010, who agreed to take supplementary examinations on circulatory disorders (the NIPPON DATA2010). Smoking habit and educational and marital status were asked by questionnaire. Respondents, who reported smoking at least 100 cigarettes or for 6 months or more in their lifetime and who, at the time of survey, smoked either every day or some days were defined as current smoker. Educational status was divided into three categories: junior high school (9 years), high school (12 years), and college or university (14 years or more). Marital status was either single or married. A total of 2,855 subjects without missing observations, 1,215 men and 1,640 women, were analyzed. Logistic regression model was used and odds ratios (OR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated.

RESULTS: In multivariate models, educational status in men and educational and marital status in women were inversely associated with current smoking. Compared with college or university graduates, OR (95%CI) of being a current smoker for junior high school and high school graduates were 2.55 (1.72-3.77) and 1.66 (1.21-2.28) in men and 5.84 (2.99-11.4) and 2.51 (1.52-4.15) in women, respectively. OR (95%CI) of being a current smoker for being a single was 2.23 (1.39-3.59) in women.

CONCLUSIONS: Educational status was strongly associated with being a current smoker both in men and women, but being a single was associated with current smoking only in women.