Objectives: To describe the evolution of smoking habits in the general population of Barcelona from 1983 to 1992 and motivation of smokers and the perceived social pressure to leave smoking in 1992.
Design: Cross-sectional descriptive study of trends. PLACE AND PARTICIPANTS: From 1983 to 1992 two health surveys were conducted with independent samples of the general population not living in an institution (n = 3,134 and n = 5,004, respectively) with an age > or = 15 years and resident in Barcelona.
Results: Prevalence of smoking for the study period among males had decreased significantly, from 54.6% to 46.2%, whereas in females a non-significant increase was observed, from 20.9% to 25.4%. The most marked decrease in smoking among males has occurred in the upper socioeconomic levels (I and II), whereas the increase among women has occurred in the lower socioeconomic levels (IV and V). In 1992 half of smokers of both sexes admitted the wish to leave smoking and a third part to have tried to do so sometime. Approximately 30% of smokers report to have been required to stop smoking indoor sometime.
Conclusions: From 1983 and 1992 a decrease was observed in overall differences of smoking prevalence among both sexes, whereas differences associated with socioeconomic levels increased, with a higher consume in the mid-low levels. More than half of smokers wish to leave smoking, which indicates the need for spreading and reinforcing methods to leave smoking among predisposed smokers.