176094 Occupational disparities in smoking: An essential area for surveillance

Monday, October 27, 2008

Anne Philipneri, MPH , Department of Public Health Sciences, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
Shawn O'Connor, PhD , Department of Public Health Sciences, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
Robert Schwartz, PhD , Department of Public Health Sciences, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
Objectives: We examined the disparities in smoking prevalence, physician advice for smoking cessation, and quit attempts among occupational groups in Ontario, Canada. Methods: We used data on Ontario adults (18 years or older) from the 1998-2006 Centre for Addiction and Mental Health Monitor (n=21882). Results: Blue-collar workers had more than twice the smoking prevalence than professionals (32% vs. 15%, p>0.01). Respondents who were exposed to secondhand smoke (SHS) at work were 28% more likely to smoke than all other workers. Outdoor workers were 20% more likely to be exposed to SHS at work than indoor workers. Compared to professionals, the adjusted odds ratio (OR) for smoking was 6.47 (95% confidence interval (CI) =2.68-15.65) for semi-skilled manual workers and 3.26 (95% CI=1.37-7.75) for unskilled manual workers. Even after controlling for gender, age, income, and occupation, outdoor workers had 1.8 higher odds (95% CI=1.09-3.04) for exposure to SHS at work than indoor workers. Blue-collar workers had 2.09 higher odds (95% CI=1.22-3.58) for exposure to SHS at work than professionals. The odds of receiving physician advice for smoking cessation was higher for blue-collar workers (OR=1.42, 95% CI 1.11-1.81) and sales/service workers (OR=1.52, 95% CI 1.19-1.95) than professionals. Quit attempts in the past year among smokers were similar across all occupations. Conclusions: Physicians were providing cessation advice to occupations with high smoking prevalence. Smoking prevalence and exposure to SHS at work differ across occupations.

Learning Objectives:
1. Determine the prevalence of cigarette smoking across 14 occupational groups and compare their prevalence in reference to professional workers. 2. Examine possible work related variables (e.g. work environment and exposure to secondhand smoke at work) which may explain any disparity in smoking prevalence 3. Describe physician advice for smoking cessation across occupations. 4. Describe quit attempts in the past year by occupations.

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I assisted with the study and completed the analyses.
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.