Smoking and mortality among persons aged 75-94

Area of Science:

• Gerontology
• Epidemiology
• Public Health

Background:

• Smoking remains a significant public health concern, even among the elderly.
• Understanding the long-term impact of tobacco use on mortality in advanced age is crucial for public health interventions.
• Previous research has often focused on younger populations, leaving a gap in knowledge regarding the oldest-old.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the association between current smoking habits and cumulative lifetime tobacco consumption with all-cause mortality in individuals aged 75-94.
• To determine if the impact of smoking on mortality differs across age strata within the older adult population.

Main Methods:

• Utilized data from the Cross-Sectional and Longitudinal Aging Study (CALAS), a representative sample of 1,200 older Jewish individuals in Israel.
• Collected data on smoking habits and lifetime tobacco consumption between 1989-1992.
• Tracked mortality outcomes for 95.1% of the sample over a 20-year follow-up period using the Israeli National Population Registry.

Main Results:

• Both current smoking of 11-20 cigarettes daily (HR=1.276) and over 20 cigarettes daily (HR=1.328) were associated with increased mortality.
• Higher total tobacco consumption (HR=1.002) and heavy lifetime tobacco consumption (HR=1.270) significantly increased mortality risk.
• The adverse effects of smoking on mortality were observed in the 75-84 age group, but appeared to diminish or disappear in those aged 85 and above.

Conclusions:

• This study provides novel insights into all-cause mortality risks associated with smoking in a representative population aged 75 and over.
• High levels of current smoking and cumulative lifetime tobacco exposure are linked to increased mortality in older adults.
• The diminishing effect of smoking on mortality in the oldest-old (85+) warrants further investigation in larger cohorts.