Social Determinants of Smoking in Low- and Middle-Income Countries: Results from the World Health Survey
2011

Social Determinants of Smoking in Low- and Middle-Income Countries

Sample size: 213807 publication Evidence: high

Author Information

Author(s): Hosseinpoor Ahmad Reza, Parker Lucy Anne, Tursan d'Espaignet Edouard, Chatterji Somnath

Primary Institution: World Health Organization

Hypothesis

What are the demographic and socioeconomic determinants of current smoking in low- and middle-income countries?

Conclusion

Understanding how smoking is distributed among low- or middle-income countries will help policymakers target the most vulnerable populations.

Supporting Evidence

  • Individuals with little or no education are more likely to smoke.
  • Women in low-income countries who are educated are less likely to smoke.
  • The prevalence of smoking varies significantly between middle-income and low-income countries.

Takeaway

This study looked at why people smoke in poorer countries and found that education and wealth play big roles in whether someone smokes.

Methodology

Data from the World Health Survey in 48 low- and middle-income countries was analyzed using multivariable logistic regression.

Potential Biases

Potential selection bias may have occurred in the sampling process, especially in countries with lower response rates.

Limitations

The study did not consider the frequency and intensity of smoking and focused mainly on individual-level variables without evaluating contextual effects.

Participant Demographics

The study included 213,807 respondents aged 18 years or older from 48 low- and middle-income countries.

Statistical Information

Confidence Interval

95% CI

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

10.1371/journal.pone.0020331

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