Different patterns by age-group and gender of socioeconomic inequalities in smoking in Colombia

Evidence on socioeconomic inequalities in smoking from low- and middle-income countries has shown some inconsistency between countries. We have studied the socioeconomic inequalities in current smoking, ever smoking, and smoking cessation in Colombia by age-group and gender.

Sixty thousand, three hundred and forty-nine Colombian men and women aged 12-69 years were selected at random from the results of a national survey. We used Pearson's chi-square and Robust Poisson regression analyses to estimate adjusted prevalence ratios between smoking behaviors and 2 indicators of socioeconomic position; individuals' educational level and household socioeconomic stratum.

In men aged 45-69 years, higher socioeconomic stratum and higher education were associated with a lower rate of current smoking (PR = 0.49 [95% CI, 0.32-0.73] and PR = 0.64 [95% CI, 0.47-0.86], respectively), a history of smoking (PR = 0.67 [95% CI, 0.53-0.85] and PR = 0.75 [95% CI, 0.63-0.90], respectively), or a higher rate of smoking cessation (PR = 1.37 [95% CI, 1.09-1.72] and PR = 0.18 [95% CI, 0.99-1.72], respectively). In men aged 18-44 years, higher education was associated with lower odds of current and history of smoking (PR = 0.75 [95% CI, 0.61-0.92 and PR = 0.81 [95% CI, 0.67-0.98], respectively). Results in women and adolescents were mixed.

In Colombia, the overall declining prevalence of smoking in men seems to be accompanied by a narrowing of smoking inequalities in successive birth cohorts, suggesting a favorable evolution of the tobacco epidemic. Further research will be required to identify factors that have contributed these optimal circumstances in tobacco control.