Smoking cessation patterns by socioeconomic status in Alaska.

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Tobacco Control
• Health Disparities

Background:

• Significant disparities in smoking prevalence persist across socioeconomic status (SES) levels.
• Monitoring cessation activities is crucial for understanding progress in tobacco control.
• Lower SES smokers historically exhibit lower quit ratios, necessitating examination of recent quit behaviors.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare recent quit attempts and successes between lower and higher SES smokers in Alaska.
• To assess progress in addressing socioeconomic disparities in smoking cessation.

Main Methods:

• Utilized data from the 2012-2013 Alaska Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS).
• Compared quit ratios, one-year and five-year quit rates, and six-month abstinence between lower and higher SES non-Native Alaska smokers.
• Adjusted for age, sex, and other relevant factors.

Main Results:

• Recent cessation measures (within the past year) did not significantly differ by SES.
• Five-year quit rates were significantly lower for lower SES smokers (14%) compared to higher SES smokers (32%).
• These findings remained consistent after statistical adjustments.

Conclusions:

• Lower SES smokers in Alaska are attempting and achieving short-term quitting at rates comparable to higher SES smokers.
• A significant disparity emerges in long-term smoking cessation success, with lower SES individuals lagging behind.
• Tobacco control programs require monitoring of both short-term and long-term cessation trends for this population, and further research into barriers for long-term quit success among lower SES smokers is warranted.