Smoking habits and attitudes of age concern volunteers

As the population is ageing, health promotion is becoming increasingly important to prevent disease and disability. Cigarette smoking is strongly associated with excess mortality and smoking cessation even after the age of 65 years, improves health and lowers mortality. The voluntary sector is an under-utilised resource for health promotion to older people. Age Concern Cymru is the leading voluntary organisation in Wales involved in promoting 'healthy ageing'. The aim of this study was to determine the smoking habits and attitudes of older Age Concern volunteers. A questionnaire enquiring about smoking habits and attitudes was circulated to all volunteers aged 65 years and over attending age concern meetings in Wales between July and September 1999. Of 375 respondents (93% response rate) 16% were current-smokers, 58% ex-smokers and 26% life-long non-smokers. A significantly greater proportion of women were non-smokers. Significantly more ex-smokers (90%) and non-smokers (93%) compared with current-smokers (72%) believed that smoking causes heart disease (P<0.002). More ex-smokers (91%) and non-smokers (94%) than current-smokers (80%) believed smoking causes lung cancer (P<0.05). In conclusion, the majority of volunteers are currently non-smokers. Over 90% of ex-smokers and non-smokers believed in the deleterious effects of smoking on health. These volunteers could be utilised for smoking-cessation campaigns.