Respondents were asked if they had ever smoked at least 100 cigarettes and if they currently smoked. Ratios were weighted to represent the adult population of each participating state. To compare quit ratios between states, the weighted state-specific ratios were standardized for the age, race, sex, and educational attainment of the 1980 U.S. population. In addition, the higher quit ratios for older than for younger age groups may represent a longer opportunity to quit. These and other findings suggest that smoking cessation interventions should target younger persons and persons of low socioeconomic status.
Continued efforts are essential to motivate smokers to quit.
Academic Press, 1979. Ockene JK, Hosmer D, Rippe J, et al. Factors affecting cigarette smoking status in patients with ischemic heart disease. Orleans CT, Schoenbach VJ, Salmon MA, et al. A survey of smoking and quitting patterns among black Americans.