[Cigarette usage in Quebec from 1985 to 1994: a comparison with Canada]

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Epidemiology
• Sociology

Background:

• Smoking remains a leading cause of preventable illness and death in Canada.
• Cigarette consumption declined significantly among Canadian adults from 1965 to 1986.
• The trends in adult cigarette smoking over the subsequent decade (1985-1994) required further investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare cigarette use patterns in Quebec and Canada between 1985 and 1994.
• To analyze trends in smoking prevalence and quit rates.
• To examine differences in smoking behavior between males and females within Quebec.

Main Methods:

• Utilized data from Quebec and Canadian public surveys conducted between 1985 and 1994.
• Compared smoking prevalence, types of cigarette use, and quit rates across regions and sexes.
• Analyzed medium and long-term trends in cigarette smoking behavior.

Main Results:

• Smoking prevalence increased among men in Quebec during the study period.
• Distinct differences were observed between Quebec and Canada regarding the evolution of quit rates and smoker prevalence.
• Smoking habit evolution in Quebec varied significantly by sex, suggesting differential influencing factors.

Conclusions:

• The gap in cigarette smoking between Quebec and Canada has not diminished.
• Sex-specific factors influence smoking behaviors differently in Quebec.
• Public survey data are crucial for tracking long-term smoking trends, though year-to-year changes are harder to discern due to sample size and slow behavioral shifts.