Changes in Smoking Behaviour and Home-Smoking Rules during the Initial COVID-19 Lockdown Period in Israel

Yael Bar-Zeev, Michal Shauly, Hannah Lee and Yehuda Neumark
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Yael Bar-Zeev: Braun School of Public Health and Community Medicine, Hebrew University-Hadassah Medical Centre, Jerusalem 9112102, Israel
Michal Shauly: Braun School of Public Health and Community Medicine, Hebrew University-Hadassah Medical Centre, Jerusalem 9112102, Israel
Hannah Lee: Braun School of Public Health and Community Medicine, Hebrew University-Hadassah Medical Centre, Jerusalem 9112102, Israel
Yehuda Neumark: Braun School of Public Health and Community Medicine, Hebrew University-Hadassah Medical Centre, Jerusalem 9112102, Israel

IJERPH, 2021, vol. 18, issue 4, 1-12

Abstract: The COVID-19 pandemic has caused devastating impacts globally. To mitigate virus spread, Israel imposed severe restrictions during March–April 2020. An online cross-sectional survey was conducted in April 2020 among current and ex-smokers to explore changes in smoking behaviour and home-smoking rules during this period. Bivariate analysis and multivariate logistic regression examined associations between sociodemographic characteristics and perceived risk of infection and quitting smoking during the initial COVID-19 period. Current smoking was reported by 437 (66.2%) of the 660 participants, 46 (7%) quit during the initial restriction period, and 177 (26.8%) were ex-smokers. Nearly half (44.4%) of current smokers intensified their smoking, and 16% attempted to quit. Quitting during the COVID-19 period was significantly associated with higher education (adjusted odds ratio (aOR): 1.97, 95% CI: 1.0–3.8), not living with a smoker (aOR: 2.18, 95% CI: 1.0–4.4), and having an underlying chronic condition that increases risk for COVID-19 complications (aOR: 2.32, 95% CI: 1.1–4.6). Both an increase in smoking behaviour and in attempts to quit smoking during the initial COVID-19 pandemic were evident in this sample of adult Israeli smokers. Governments need to use this opportunity to encourage smokers to attempt quitting and create smoke-free homes, especially during lockdown conditions, while providing mental and social support to all smokers.

Keywords: smoking; COVID-19; smoking cessation; home-smoking-rules (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (9)

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