Socioeconomic status disparity in household passive smoking in Taiwan

APHA Scientific Session and Event Listing

Dih-Ling Luh, Department of Public Health, Chung Shan Medical University, No.110,Sec. 1,Chien-Kuo N. Road, Taichung, 402, Taiwan , R.O.C., Taiwan, 886-4-24730022, luh@csmu.edu.tw, Lee-Lan Yen, ScD, Institute of Health Policy and Management, College of Public Health, National Taiwan University, Room 623, 6F, No. 17, Xuzhou Rd., Taipei, Taiwan, Fu-Li Chen, Department of Public Health, Fu Jen Catholic University, 510 Chung Cheng Rd.,Hsin Chuang, Taipei Hsien, Taiwan, Ling-Yen Pan, Division of Health Policy Reserach, National Health Research Institute, No.35,Keyan Road,Zhunan Town, Miaoli County, Taiwan, and Baai-Shyun Hurng, Bureau of Health Promotion, Department of Health, Taiwan, 5F., No.503, Sec. 2, Liming Rd., Taichung City, Taiwan.

The purpose of this paper was to describe the disparity of socioeconomic status (SES) in household passive smoking (HPS) in Taiwan. This study is based on the data from 2002 National Survey on Knowledge, Attitude, Practice of Health Promotion (HPKAP), provided by the Bureau of Health Promotion, Department of Health, Taiwan. 16,813 non-smokers of HPKAP reported their household passive smoking status. The indicators of SES included education, occupation, and personal income per month. Logistic regression was applied to estimate the disparity of SES in HPS, stratified by gender and age. The four age groups were 15 to 24, 25 to 39, 40 to 64, and 65 and above. Main findings: The prevalence of HPS in Taiwan was 45.94%. Female had a higher prevalence of HPS. By age, younger group had a higher prevalence of HPS. In female, all age group showed that lower education level and lower personal income had a higher prevalence of HPS, but not in male. The occupational disparity in HPS varied with age and gender, and without consistent pattern. According the findings, low SES female were the main victim of HPS, we strongly suggested that they should be the main target of future smoking prevention program.

Learning Objectives:

At the conclusion of the session, the participant in this session will be able to

1.Recognize the fact that socioeconomic status disparity in household passive smoking in Taiwan is exist.
2.Describe the differences among socioeconomic status disparity in household passive smoking in gender and age group.
3.Identify the main victim of household passive smoking in Taiwan.

Keywords: Smoking, Social Class

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Not Answered

Social Epidemiology: Health Impacts Starting at Conception

The 134th Annual Meeting & Exposition (November 4-8, 2006) of APHA