OBJECTIVE: To describe the characteristics and associated factors of smoking among the elderly. METHODS: Cross-sectional study carried out with 344 seniors (> 60 years old) living in the mid-sized, southern city of Londrina, Brazil in 2008. The dependent variable was smoking and the other studied variables were: socio-economic factors, education, referred health status and use the use of health services. Data were collected through household survey. Descriptive statistics of the variables of study and invariant data analysis were used to assess associations between the smoking habits of both current and former smokers and the exploratory variables. RESULTS: The prevalence of current and past smoking was 23.8% and 37.6% among men, and of 12.7% and 21.8% among women, respectively (p <0.0001). Among current smokers, there was no difference between men and women in relation to consumption of cigarettes per day and degree of dependence on tobacco. Age was not a determining factor among the groups (current smoker, former smoker and never having smoked) either. There was an independent and negative association with schooling and socioeconomic condition and positive association with poor health perception. CONCLUSION: Smoking was a public health concern among older adults in the studied community. Lower degrees of education and socioeconomic condition should be considered in the development of stop smoking programs among the elderly.
Smoking; Aged; Health of the Elderly; Prevalence; Educational Status; Socioeconomic Factors; Cross-Sectional Studies