People who have primary-school as their highest educational qualification are 11 times more likely to smoke daily compared to those with postgraduate degrees, new research has found.
The Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (RCSI) on Thursday published a new study which highlighted the socioeconomic inequalities in smoking rates.
The researchers analysed Healthy Ireland survey data from between 2015 and 2022 with the participation of more than 52,000 adults in Ireland.
According to the analysis, about 20 per cent of people who did not attain further educational qualifications after primary school smoked daily, compared to about 5 per cent of postgraduates — making them 11 times more likely to take up this habit.
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The researchers also found those in the most deprived areas are four times more likely to be daily smokers than residents in affluent areas.
Although overall smoking rates in Ireland have declined, socioeconomic inequalities persist and are worsening among the least educated groups and residents in the most disadvantaged areas, the research found.
Prof Frank Doyle, principal investigator of the study, said one of the “most fascinating” findings was if you don’t have friends or family who smoke, then it is “very unlikely you will smoke”.
However, he highlighted how there was a need to not have a one-size-fits-all all approach to reducing smoking rates in the State.
“The overall prevalence is coming down with the interventions such as increased taxes, but it’s not coming down as quickly in lower socioeconomic groups,” he said.
“It’s [smoking] an addiction. It’s probably one of the most addictive substances and a lot of smokers say they want to quit. But things don’t become a rational financial decision when you’re in an addiction.”
Dr Gintare Valentelyte, lead author of the study and Postdoctoral Researcher at Converge: Centre for Chronic Disease and Population Health Research, said the findings show that while smoking rates are falling, those from less advantaged backgrounds are not benefiting equally.
“For tobacco control policies to be effective, they must account for the unique challenges faced by these groups and offer tailored support that addresses the barriers they encounter in quitting,” she said.
Smoking-related harm remains the leading preventable cause of ill health and premature mortality in Ireland, accounting for more than 5,000 deaths annually and a cost to the hospital system of €460 million each year.
The research was funded by the HSE Tobacco Free Ireland Programme, as part of a collaboration with the RCSI School of Population Health.
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