Socioeconomic and gender disparities in tobacco smoking among Jamaican adults from a national health survey

ObjectivesLittle is known of socioeconomic and gender disparities in tobacco use in the Caribbean. We evaluated education and occupation disparities in tobacco smoking prevalence in Jamaica.MethodsData on tobacco smoking, education attainment and usual occupation in adults 25-74 years in a national survey collected between 2007 and 2008 was analyzed. Using post stratification survey weights, Poisson regression models estimated sex-specific, age-adjusted prevalence estimates, prevalence differences and prevalence ratios.ResultsAnalyses included 2299 participants (696 men, 1603 women), mean age 43 years. Current smoking prevalence was 26% in men and 8% in women (pConclusionIn Jamaica, there are socioeconomic disparities in current tobacco smoking among men, where it is inversely associated with education attainment and occupation but in women is less clear. These findings suggest interventions to reduce smoking should consider these disparities.