Socioeconomic inequalities in smoking in The Netherlands before and during the Global Financial Crisis: a repeated cross-sectional study

BMC Public Health

Research Article

Vera Nierkens¹  Fiona E Benson²  Mirte AG Kuipers²  Karien Stronks²  Anton E Kunst²  Jan-Willem Bruggink³ 

[1] Department of Public Health and First Line Medicine, LUMC, Albinusdreef 2, 2333, Leiden, ZA, The Netherlands;Department of Public Health, Academic Medical Centre, University of Amsterdam, Meibergdreef 9, 1105, Amsterdam, AZ, The Netherlands;Statistics Netherlands, CBS-weg 11, 6412, Heerlen, EX, The Netherlands;

关键词: Smoking;    Socioeconomic status;    Inequalities;    Economic recession;   

DOI  :  10.1186/s12889-015-1782-6

 received in 2014-12-15, accepted in 2015-04-22,  发布年份 2015

来源: Springer

【 摘 要 】

BackgroundThe Global Financial Crisis (GFC) increased levels of financial strain, especially in those of low socioeconomic status (SES). Financial strain can affect smoking behaviour.This study examines socioeconomic inequalities in current smoking and smoking cessation in The Netherlands before and during the Global Financial Crisis (GFC).MethodsParticipants were 66,960 Dutch adults (≥18 years) who took part in the annual national Health Survey (2004–2011). Period was dichotomised: ‘pre-’ and ‘during-GFC’. SES measures used were income, education and neighbourhood deprivation. Outcomes were current smoking rates (smokers/total population) and smoking cessation ratios (former smokers/ever smokers). Multilevel logistic regression models controlled for individual characteristics and tested for interaction between period and SES.ResultsIn both periods, high SES respondents (in all indicators) had lower current smoking levels and higher cessation ratios than those of middle or low SES. Inequalities in current smoking increased significantly in poorly educated adults of 45–64 years of age (Odds Ratio (OR) low educational level compared with high: 2.00[1.79-2.23] compared to pre-GFC 1.67[1.50-1.86], p for interaction = 0.02). Smoking cessation inequalities by income in 18–30 year olds increased with borderline significance during the GFC (OR low income compared to high income: 0.73[0.58-0.91]) compared to pre-GFC (OR: 0.98[0.80-1.20]), p for interaction = 0.051).ConclusionsOverall, socioeconomic inequalities in current smoking and smoking cessation were unchanged during the GFC. However, current smoking inequalities by education, and smoking cessation inequalities by income, increased in specific age groups. Increased financial strain caused by the crisis may disproportionately affect smoking behaviour in some disadvantaged groups.

【 授权许可】

CC BY   
© Benson et al.; licensee BioMed Central. 2015