Changes in smoking behavior among population and evaluation of the impact of the anti-smoking law on tobacco epidemic
Introduction. Regular observational studies are necessary to successfully combat the tobacco epidemic allowing to objectively assess the dynamics in the smoking behavior indicators of the population and the measurement eﬀectiveness of the tobacco epidemic prevention.The aim of the study was to analyze the main characteristics of smoking behavior among the population and their changes before and after the adoption of the anti-smoking law.Material and methods. The population-based survey of Moscow adult citizens was conducted in 2017-2018, comprising 1020 people aged 18-81 years (mean age was 51, 71±14,27). The uniﬁed questionnaire on smoking behavior and history was used by qualiﬁed interviewers. In order to study the dynamics of smoking behavior among the population current smoking behavior indicators were compared with the result of previous similar surveys conducted before 2013, when the anti-smoking law was approved. Changes in smoking indicators were stratiﬁed by sex and age. Results. The percentage of current male smokers was 54, 2% (95% CI: 49-59%) and 27,3% of female smokers (95% CI: 24% - 31%), the highest percentage of male smokers was in the middle age group - 30-49 years, - 65,7% (95% CI: 57-75%) among female smokers in the young group up to 30 years - 45.2% (95% CI: 30-60%) Among the male smokers, smoking more than 20 cigarettes per day the highest percentage was observed in the age group over 49 years - 26.6% (95% CI: 19-34%), at the age 30-49 years - 19.7% (95% CI: 10-29%) and under 30 years - 0%. The historical comparison of smoking behavior indicators of the population obtained from the surveys of the population conducted before and after the adoption of the anti-smoking law revealed a signiﬁcant decrease in the prevalence and intensity of smoking in later years.Conclusion. Despite a slight reduction in tobacco consumption among the population, the smoking prevalence in Russia remains one of the highest in the world. Campaign against the tobacco epidemic requires a long-term complex of the anti-smoking measures aimed to prevent and to stop smoking, and to achieve the decrease in smoking prevalence among population.