Trends in the socioeconomic disparities of smoke-free families in Taiwan

Background: The market opening to foreign cigarette brands had evoked the anti-smoking movement in Taiwan since 1987. With continuing efforts of NGOs and the Department of Health, The Tobacco Hazard Control Act went into effect in 1997. Objectives: We examine trends in the socioeconomic disparities of smoke-free families in Taiwan over the past 30 years. Methods: Data on the smoking status and socioeconomic characteristics of family came from the Survey of Family Income and Expenditure in Taiwan, with a nationally representative sample of 9,461, 16,434, 13,681 households for index year 1976, 1990 and 2003 respectively. Results: The prevalence of smoke-free family in Taiwan has increased from 19.9% in 1976, 32.8% in 1990, to 55.0% in 2003. Rich families and families with a highly educated or white-collar household head were early adopters to become smoke-free. Accordingly, the social disparities of smoke-free families have become worse, along with the overall improvement of smoke-free families in Taiwan. The smoke-free family rate ratio of the highest to the lowest educated household heads has increased from 0.52 in 1976 to 0.78 in 2003. Importantly, the results of multiple regression analysis showed that the education of the household head has become more important in determining the smoke-free status, compared to the diminishing effect of family income. Conclusions: The prevalence of smoke-free families has been increasing over the past 30 years, yet the social disparities of smoke-free families have become worse.

Key words: socioeconomic status, smoke-free family, trends.