Socio-economic aspects of cigarette smoking in Malta and Gozo

Abstract

Questions on smoking behaviour were included in the Census of Population and Housing taken in November 1985. Information was gathered on the number of cigarettes consumed by smokers, those who had stopped smoking and those who had never smoked. Since the Census, smoking has figured prominently in Maltese newspapers and the Health Education unit has been active in publicising the health hazards associated with tobacco dependence. Nevertheless relatively little research has been done on patterns of cigarette smoking and on the demographic, socio-economic and environmental factors that may go some way towards explaining the sharp variations in cigarette addiction within Malta and Gozo. This paper explores a number of these underlying dimensions and using a simple statistical index identifies those neighbourhoods which have high, about average and low levels of smoking behaviour.