[Subjective and objective health status ex-smokers among elderly persons. CINDI WHO survey]

Smoking tobacco increases the risk of numerous diseases as well as death due to tumours, cardiovascular and respiratory system diseases. It has been estimated that one of three smokers will die prematurely because of complications induced by smoking tobacco. Quitting smoking after turning 65 years old decreases the risk of chronic diseases and increases the estimated life expectancy. The aim of the research conducted within CINDI WHO Programme is exploring the influence of quitting smoking on subjective health perception and its objective condition among people of 65 and older depending on demographic and social factors as well as analysis of the reasons for quitting smoking by long-time tobacco smokers. The research included a group of 828 people of 65 years old and older living in an urban population. 10.7% of the senior citizen group were ex-smokers. Men more frequently than women quit smoking. A vast majority of ex-smokers (87.4%) quit before turning 65, however, 12.6% did it when they are above that age. The average age of quitting smoking was 45.9 +/- 15.8 years and the average smoking period was 26.9 +/- 15 years. The motivation for quitting smoking was mainly health reasons. Only 1/3 of ex-smokers assessed their health condition as poor or rather poor in spite of frequent risk factors such as hypertension, type 2 diabetes, obesity, lipid disorders.