Effects of Childhood Socioeconomic Circumstances on Persistent Smoking

B.J.M.H. Jefferis, C. Power, H. Graham and O. Manor

American Journal of Public Health, 2004, vol. 94, issue 2, 279-285

Abstract: Objectives. We investigated whether socioeconomic circumstances at different life stages influence persistent smoking. Methods. We followed a British birth cohort (all births between March 3 and 9, 1958) for 41 years to examine the influence of childhood and adulthood socioeconomic position on persistent smoking in adulthood (n=6541). Results. Persistent smoking (19% of participants, n=1216) showed strong social gradients with both childhood and adulthood socioeconomic measures. Among men, the association with childhood socioeconomic circumstances was no longer significant after we adjusted for adulthood socioeconomic circumstances; however, among women, the adjusted odds of persistent smoking increased by 8% for each unit increase across a 16-point childhood score. Conclusions. Childhood socioeconomic circumstances predicted persistent smoking among women in our cohort, a finding that highlights the importance of influences on the development of persistent smoking across the life course.

Date: 2004
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:aph:ajpbhl:2004:94:2:279-285_0

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