If you smoke, you’re probably already looking for a way to quit. While the evidence that smoking is harmful has taken on mountainous proportions, many people can’t seem to shake the habit. To get a better idea of how and why people quit, a new study examined the motivations that prompted a large number of people to successfully put smoking behind them.
A team of researchers in Poland analyzed data from the Global Adult Tobacco Survey (GATS). GATS is a cross-sectional, nationally representative household survey implemented in Poland between 2009 and 2010. GATS collected data on 7,840 individuals, including 1,206 individuals who met the criteria of long-term smoking cessation, and 2,233 current smokers. Here’s what the researchers found:
• Among women, the quit rate was 30.4%, compared to 37.9% in men
• Former smokers declared concerns about the health hazards of smoking (60.8%) and the high price of cigarettes (11.6%) as primary reasons for smoking cessation
• Older age and high education attainment were associated with long-term quitting among both genders
• Employed men were more than twice as likely to give up smoking than unemployed men
It would appear that the key to kicking the habit may be to remind yourself of the health risks if you continue smoking. Of course, quitting smoking is extremely difficult, but there are natural methods than can help.
Sources for Today’s Articles:
More Motivation to Help You Quit Smoking
Kaleta, D., et al., “Predictors of long-term smoking cessation: Results from the global adult tobacco survey in Poland (2009-2010),” BMC Public Health, November 22, 2012; 12(1): 1,020.