SMOKING PREVALENCE IN ESTONIA AND FINLAND 1990

MS 10.30-12.00 Main sessions

SMOKING PREVALENCE IN ESTONIA AND FINLAND 1990 - 1994

AUTHORS: A Lipand, A Kasmel, E Tasa, M Leinsalu, A Uutela*, P Puska*, S Helakorpi*
INSTITUTION S: Centre for Health Education and Promotion, Tallinn, Estonia, National Public Health Institute, Finland *

The purpose of the study is to obtain information about smoking behaviour in Estonia and Finland and to use the results of the survey in planning, monitoring and evaluating health promotion anti-tobacco activities.

A random sample of Estonian adult population from the age group 16 to 64 was drawn from the National Address Bureau and in Finland from the age group 15 to 64 from the National Population Register. The sample size has been 1500 in Estonia and 5000 in Finland. The questionnaire was mailed in April and May; a reminder to the non-respondents after that in about 4 weeks. Yet another reminder to those who had not responded was mailed in June. The response rate was in both studies from 63 to 83%.

The number of daily smokers has increased during the me years in Estonia among both males and females from 29 to 36% and decreased from 26 to 23% in Finland. Occasional smokers in both countries form about 67%. In Estonia the highest increase of smoking (11%) was in the age group 25 to 34 of males where also the prevalence in 1994 was 64,6%. Among females the same process occurred in the age group 45 to 54 (8,3%), but the highest prevalence was in the age group 25 to 34 (35,9%) in 1994. In Finland daily smoking has decreased mainly in the age group 35 to 44 of males (9%) and in the age groups 15 to 24, 35 to 44 and 55 to 64 (2%).

The different trends in Estonia and in Finland reflected the difference of the situation in legislation, public opinion, social support, anti-tobacco activities and education.

Smoke Free Europe Conference Abstracts - 19 SEP 1996

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