Tobacco use in the European region

Abstract

This paper presents comparable tobacco use prevalence estimates for the WHO European region for two common definitions of tobacco use: current smoker (occasional and daily) and daily smoker. Data collections held in the WHO Global InfoBase (www.who.int/infobase) were used to examine patterns of tobacco use at the country level, in the region as a whole and for specific subregional groups. Data from 275 sources presenting tobacco use prevalence by age and sex and representing 46 out of 52 countries in the WHO European region met the inclusion criteria. Regression models were used to adjust country-reported prevalence to a standard set of definitions and age groups. Estimates were projected to a set of standard reporting years, 2002, 2005 and 2015. The prevalence of current smoking and daily smoking was 33.2 and 28.4%, respectively in 2002. Male smokers had overall higher prevalence of daily smoking, 37.7% and current smoking, 43.1% in 2002. The corresponding rates for female smokers were 19.3% for daily smokers and 23.4% for current smokers in 2002. The overall prevalence declines slightly by 2015 for male daily smokers to 33.5% but increases for female daily smokers to 20.1%. The increase in female smokers is most apparent in the eastern, southern and western parts of Europe.