The 130th Annual Meeting of APHA

Abstract #47157

Jyoti Chhabra, PhD¹, Laurence Z. Rubenstein, MD, MPH², Sally Morton, PhD³, Pauline J. Lapin, MHS⁴, James Coan, BA⁴, and Raymond Niaura, PhD¹. (1) Qualidigm, 100 Roscommon Dr., Middletown, CT 06457, (860) 632-6391, jchhabra@qualidigm.org, (2) Department of Veterans Affairs, VA Medical Center, 16111 Plummer St., North Hills, CA 91343, (3) RAND Health, RAND, 1700 Main Street, P.O. Box 2138, Santa Monica, CA 90407, (4) Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, 7500 Security Blvd., Mailstop S3-2-1, Baltimore, MD 21244

Pilot survey data for a smoking cessation demonstration program (Healthy Aging Medicare Stop Smoking Program) were gathered among smoking Medicare recipients. Data were gathered by telephone from a nationwide (demographically enhanced sample for age and ethnicity), and a random digit dialing sample for 65+ Medicare Part B beneficiaries (N=134; n=67 per gender; Age: mean_men=71.9; mean_women=72.4 years). Men reported a significantly higher income category* (mean_men=3.5, mean_women=3.0) and initiated smoking at a significantly earlier age (mean_men=18.4 yrs., mean_women=22.4 yrs.) than women. Income was significantly associated with the number of cigarettes smoked per day among women (correlation=0.31, p<.05), but not men. Men’s BMI was positively associated with how early they reported initiating smoking in their lives (correlation=0.24, p<.05), but not among women. Depression was not significantly associated with likelihood of quitting for both men and women. The more likely both men and women reported being able to quit in the next year and stay off cigarettes for 6 months, the more likely they were to respond ‘No’ to ‘Are you planning to stop smoking in the next 30 days?’ (correlation_men=-0.39; correlation_women=-0.38; p_{men & women}<.005) and ‘No’ to ‘Are you seriously thinking about quitting smoking in the next 6 months?’ (correlation_men=-0.32; correlation_women=-0.61; p_{men & women}<.05). This suggests that older American smokers might be less comfortable committing to quit in shorter time periods, such as 30 days or 6 months, than in a year. *Income: 1=under $10,000, 2=$10,000-$15,000, 3=$15,000-$25,000, 4=$25001-$35,000, 5=$35,001 to 50,000, 6=$50,001-$75,000 and 7=Over $75,000

Learning Objectives:

• Understanding smoking cessation attitudes of Medicare smokers

Keywords: Smoking Cessation, Aging

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: (1) Qualidigm, 100 Roscommon Dr., Middletown, CT 06457, (2) RAND Corporation, 1700 Main Street, Santa Monica, CA 90401, (3) Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, 7500 Security Blvd., Mailstop S3-2-1, Baltimore, MD, 21244. Funded by a federal g
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.