244228 Factors associated with developmental trajectories of smoking behaviour change among older people in Taiwan: Findings from the Taiwan Longitudinal Study on Aging

Monday, October 31, 2011

Che-Wei Hsu , Population and Health Research Center, Bureau of Health Promotion, Department of Health, Taiwan (ROC), Taichung, Taiwan
Shiow-Ing Wu , Food and Drug Administration, Department of Health, Taiwan (ROC), Taipei, Taiwan
Min-Hua Jen, PhD , Heron Evidence Development Ltd, London, United Kingdom
Samuel Stoddart, PhD , Heron Evidence Development Ltd, London, United Kingdom
Baai-Shyun Hurng, PhD , Population and Health Research Center, Bureau of Health Promotion, Department of Health, Taiwan (ROC), Taichung City, Taiwan
Yu-Hsuan Lin , Population and Health Research Center, Bureau of Health Promotion, Department of Health, Taiwan (ROC), Taichung, Taiwan
Shu-Ti Chiou, MD, PhD , Bureau of Health Promotion, Department of Health, Taiwan (ROC), New Taipei City, Taiwan
While there is evidence that smoking cessation can improve health even late in life and in those who are already ill, there is very little evidence on smoking behaviour change in the over 50s. This study aims to investigate factors that could influence smoking behaviour change in the over 50s. 3,132 elderly from the Taiwan Longitudinal Study on Aging were interviewed in 1996, 1999, 2003, and 2007.

Group-based trajectory modelling was applied to identify clusters of individuals that have similar underlying aetiologies or risk factors predicting or influencing changes in smoking behaviour over time. Three smoking trajectory groups were identified: non-smoker (75.8%), highly-unlikely to quit (15.7%) and gradually reducing smoking prevalence (8.5%) through time.

Females, those aged 65 and above, and non-literate smokers were significantly less likely to be quitting smoking group. We found that marital status, living arrangement and satisfaction, and income have no significant association with any trajectory groups. Factors including having been diagnosed by doctors with one or more chronic disease, self-rated bad health, having one or more limitation to instrumental activities, or having been admitted to hospital or emergency room in the previous year, were significantly associated with reducing participants' smoking prevalence. The tendency of chronic health conditions to reduce smoking behaviour is particularly interesting. This may be due to increased contact with health professionals. Alternatively, it may be that a direct experience of the health consequences of smoking is the motivating factor for reduction or cessation.

Learning Areas:
Public health or related public policy
Public health or related research
Social and behavioral sciences

Learning Objectives:
1. Identify developmental trajectories of smoking behaviour among older people. 2. Evaluate the factors affecting which trajectory an individual may take.

Keywords: Smoking Cessation, Elderly

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I work with my colleagues on this paper and I know the dataset used for this presentation very well.
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.