Introduction
Clean-air and smoke-free ordinances have been shown to
reduce the prevalence of smoking among the overall population, but their effects
on the smoking prevalence among older adults deserves further attention. We
examined changes in self-reported cigarette smoking and in attitudes toward
smoking after the implementation of such ordinances in Fort Collins, Colorado,
in 2003.
Methods
Communitywide health status surveys were mailed out to
northern Larimer County residents recruited via random-digit dialing in 2001 and
2004. Secondary data analysis was conducted for respondents living in Fort
Collins, comparing the entire sample with a subsample of adults aged 50 years or
older. Univariate analyses were used to determine differences in self-reported
cigarette smoking between the groups across the 2 surveys. Multivariate logistic
regression models estimated differences in smoking status and in attitudes
toward acceptability of public smoking between the 2 survey administrations,
controlling for demographic correlates.
Results
Smoking rates among older respondents failed to change,
despite significant decreases in smoking rates in the entire adult population.
Furthermore, attitudes toward smoking in public did not change between the 2
surveys for either of the groups.
Conclusion
Different factors may influence the decision to stop
smoking for older adults and younger adults. We recommend the use of multiple
approaches on different ecological levels to ensure that communitywide
antismoking intervention efforts reach all population segments.