Tobacco smoking prevalence and associated factors among the elderly in the rural area of Rio Grande/RS, Brazil.

Introduction: Although tobacco smoking prevalence in the adult Brazilian population is monitored through population-based surveys, the majority of findings come from studies undertaken in urban areas. Therefore, very little is known about tobacco smoking prevalence and associated factors among elderly people living in rural Brazilian areas. As such, this study aimed to assess tobacco smoking prevalence and associated factors among elderly people in the rural area of the municipality of Rio Grande, state of Rio Grande do Sul (RS), Brazil.