Socioeconomic status and smoking: a review.

Smoking prevalence is higher among disadvantaged groups, and disadvantaged smokers may face higher exposure to tobacco's harms. Uptake may also be higher among those with low socioeconomic status (SES), and quit attempts are less likely to be successful. Studies have suggested that this may be the result of reduced social support for quitting, low motivation to quit, stronger addiction to tobacco, increased likelihood of not completing courses of pharmacotherapy or behavioral support sessions, psychological differences such as lack of self-efficacy, and tobacco industry marketing.

What makes for an effective stop-smoking service?

Background: The English network of stop-smoking services (SSSs) is among the best-value life-preserving clinical intervention in the UK NHS and is internationally renowned. However, success varies considerably across services, making it important to examine the factors that influence their effectiveness.

Methods: Data from 126,890 treatment episodes in 24 SSSs in 2009-10 were used to assess the association between intervention characteristics and success rates, adjusting for key smoker characteristics.

'The smoking toolkit study': a national study of smoking and smoking cessation in England.

Background: Up-to-date data tracking of national smoking patterns and cessation-related behaviour is required to evaluate and inform tobacco control strategies. The Smoking Toolkit Study (STS) was designed for this role. This paper describes the methodology of the STS and examines as far as possible the representativeness of the samples.

Variation in saliva cotinine as a function of self-reported attempts to reduce cigarette consumption.

Rationale: Cotinine is an accurate objective marker of nicotine intake. There is very little information on its stability over time or as a function of self-reported attempts at smoking reduction.

Objectives: This study aimed to assess the stability of saliva cotinine concentrations over a 3-month period, as a function of self-reported attempts to reduce cigarette consumption, using data from a general population sample of English smokers.

Did the introduction of varenicline in England substitute for or add to the use of other smoking cessation medications?

Introduction: Varenicline has recently been added to the market as a new drug for smoking cessation. The aim of the current study was to assess whether varenicline substituted for, or added to, the use of other smoking cessation medications.

Methods: We used data from 2,595 smokers taking part in monthly household surveys of representative samples of the English population.

The role of desire, duty and intention in predicting attempts to quit smoking.

Aims: Motivation to quit smoking predicts quit attempts, although little is known about the role played by its different aspects. This study assessed the predictive value of desire, duty and intention to quit, three different aspects of motivation.

Design: A longitudinal study was conducted involving a nationally representative sample of smokers assessed at baseline and 3 and 6 months later.

Strength of urges to smoke as a measure of severity of cigarette dependence: comparison with the Fagerström Test for Nicotine Dependence and its components.

Aims: Measuring the strength of urges to smoke during a normal smoking day among smokers in a culture where smoking is restricted could provide a good measure of the severity of cigarette dependence. An important criterion for a measure of cigarette dependence is how well it predicts failure of attempts to stop smoking. This study compared ratings of Strength of Urges to Smoke (SUTS) with the Fagerström Test of Nicotine Dependence (FTND) and its components, including the Heaviness of Smoking Index (HSI).

Enjoyment of smoking and urges to smoke as predictors of attempts and success of attempts to stop smoking: a longitudinal study.

Background: 'Enjoyment' and 'addiction' have been proposed as opposing reasons why people continue to smoke despite the manifest dangers. This study examined the roles of these as barriers to smoking cessation.

Methods: 2257 smokers taking part in a national household survey completed postal-follow-up questionnaires 6 months later.

Changes in smoking prevalence in 16-17-year-old versus older adults following a rise in legal age of sale: findings from an English population study.

Aim: To assess smoking prevalence before and after the rise in legal age of sale of cigarettes in England and Wales from age 16 to age 18 in October 2007.

Design: A series of monthly cross-sectional household surveys: the 'Smoking Toolkit Study'.

Setting: England.

Self-perceived smoking motives and their correlates in a general population sample.

Introduction: Understanding motivation to continue smoking may help the development of smoking cessation interventions. However, little information exists on the prevalence of specific motives for smoking in representative samples of smokers. This study examined smokers' reports of their motives for continued smoking in an English general population sample.

Perceived stress and weight gain in adolescence: a longitudinal analysis.

Although perceived stress has been hypothesized to be a risk factor for obesity, epidemiological studies relating stress to weight gain have shown mixed results. We examined prospective associations between perceived stress and changes in waist circumference and BMI in a large study of adolescents. As part of the Health and Behaviour in Teenagers Study (HABITS), height, weight, and waist circumference were measured annually in 4,065 adolescents aged from 11 to 16.

Nicotine intake in cigarette smokers in England: distribution and demographic correlates.

Documenting smoke intake by objective biochemical markers is important for quantification of exposure to toxins. The aim of this report is to show the most definitive distribution of the nicotine metabolite, cotinine, yet available from English smokers in the period before implementation of the legislation banning smoking in indoor public areas. A total of 6,423 cigarette smokers, ages 16 years and above, taking part in the Health Survey for England between 1998 and 2003 provided a saliva cotinine value.

Smoking status of step-parents as a risk factor for smoking in adolescence.

Aim: To examine the extent to which smoking by step-parents and biological parents predicts adolescent smoking. DESIGN Five-year cohort study. SETTING Thirty-six schools in South London, England.

Persistent impact of pubertal timing on trends in smoking, food choice, activity, and stress in adolescence.

Objectives: a) To replicate the established association between early puberty and smoking; b) to see whether differences between early and late maturers narrowed with increasing age and differed by gender; and c) to determine whether other health behaviors (food choice, physical activity, sedentary behavior) and stress showed the same association with pubertal timing.

Methods: The Health and Behaviour in Teenagers Study (HABITS) followed a cohort of 5863 adolescents from ages 11 to 12 years (UK year 7; US grade 6) for 5 years. Puberty was assessed with the Pubertal Development Scale.

Does smoking in adolescence affect body mass index, waist or height? Findings from a longitudinal study.

Aim: To assess the effect of smoking uptake on body mass index (BMI), waist circumference and height during adolescence.

Design: Five-year longitudinal study.

Setting: Thirty-six schools in South London, England, selected by a stratified random sampling procedure designed to ensure ethnic and socio-economic diversity.

Early dating predicts smoking during adolescence: A prospective study.

Aim: To examine the relationship between dating and smoking behaviour.

Design: A 5-year prospective study.

Setting: Thirty-six schools in South London, England.