The first avoidable mortality factor, tobacco is consumed more by socially and economically fragile French people.
- In France, tobacco is the first preventable mortality factor as well as the first risk factor for cancer.
- The prevalence of daily smoking is much higher among people with no diploma, no job or low income.
- Moreover, the urge to quit smoking is associated with male gender and an age over 35 years.
On the occasion of the posting on the website of Public Health France regional data on daily smoking and vapingthe health agency takes stock of the profile of French smokers.
Health inequalities
“Despite regional disparities, the characteristics of smokers remain mostly common”, note the experts in a press release.
The prevalence of daily smoking is much higher among people without a diploma or with a qualification below the Baccalaureate, individuals who are unemployed compared to those who have a job or even French people with low incomes. “These differences in prevalence are at the origin of large disparities in terms of mortality and morbidity and highlight the maintenance of health inequalities linked to tobacco consumption”, comments Public Health France.
Who most wants to quit smoking?
Furthermore, the desire to quit smoking is associated with being male, being over 35 years old, not reporting financial well-being, the onset of a depressive episode characterized in the year and the absence of significant one-time alcohol consumption (at least 6 drinks on a single occasion) declared monthly. “Envy and attempts to quit are significantly less frequent in women, however the differences remain modest. can we read in the report.
“These characteristics show that it is important to continue to adapt prevention measures, not only to encourage more socio-economically vulnerable smokers to make attempts to quit smoking, but also to better help them transform these successful weaning attempts”, concludes the health agency.
Prevalence
After an unprecedented drop in smoking between 2016 and 2019, the prevalence has stabilized at the national level. Variable developments are observed at the regional level.
In France, tobacco is the first preventable mortality factor as well as the first risk factor for cancer.
