Abstract

Despite the detrimental effects of smoking on health, a high number of adults with type 2 diabetes continue to smoke. Identifying distinct profiles of smokers could help tailor smoking intervention programs in this population and may help uncover high risk subgroups with unfavourable health outcomes. This study examined whether smokers with type 2 diabetes could be classified into different profiles based on socioeconomic characteristics, smoking habits and lifestyle factors. Depression and disability outcomes were compared across smoking profiles. A community sample of adults with self-reported diabetes was selected from random digit dialing. Analyses included 383 participants with type 2 diabetes who were current smokers. Participants were interviewed at baseline (2008) and re-interviewed 1 year later (2009). Latent class analysis was used to identify types of smokers. We uncovered three meaningful classes of smokers: (1) long-time smokers with long-standing diabetes (n=105), (2) heavy smokers with deprived socioeconomic status, poor health and unhealthy lifestyle characteristics (n=105), (3) working and active smokers, recently diagnosed with diabetes (n=173). Members of class 2 were significantly more likely to be disabled and depressed at baseline and follow-up compared with others. They were also less likely to have quit smoking at follow-up, despite attempting to quit as often as others. Different profiles of smokers exist among adults with type 2 diabetes. One class of smokers is particularly linked with depression, disability and a deprived socioeconomic situation. Distinguishing between types of smokers may enable clinicians to tailor their approach to smoking cessation.