Age and educational inequalities in smoking cessation due to three population-level tobacco control interventions: findings from the International Tobacco Control (ITC) Netherlands Survey

• Published in: Health education research Vol. 28; no. 1; pp. 83 - 91
• Main Authors: Nagelhout, Gera E., Crone, Matty R., van den Putte, Bas, Willemsen, Marc C., Fong, Geoffrey T., de Vries, Hein
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Oxford University Press 01.02.2013
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adolescents; Adult; Adults; Age Differences; Age Factors; Bans; Behavior Change; Cessation; Educational Attainment; Educational Status; Foreign Countries; Health Behavior; Health Promotion; Health Promotion - methods; Health Surveys; Health technology assessment; Humans; Interventions; Legislation; Longitudinal Studies; Mass Media; Middle Aged; National Surveys; Netherlands; ORIGINAL ARTICLES; Program Effectiveness; Program Implementation; Public Health; Public Policy; Smoking; Smoking - economics; Smoking Cessation - economics; Smoking Cessation - legislation & jurisprudence; Smoking Cessation - methods; Taxes; Young Adult; Netherlands
• ISSN: 0268-1153; 1465-3648
• DOI: 10.1093/her/cys101

This study aimed to examine age and educational inequalities in smoking cessation due to the implementation of a tobacco tax increase, smoke-free legislation and a cessation campaign. Longitudinal data from 962 smokers aged 15 years and older were used from three survey waves of the International Tobacco Control (ITC) Netherlands Survey. The 2008 survey was performed before the implementation of the interventions and the 2009 and 2010 surveys were performed after the implementation. No significant age and educational differences in successful smoking cessation were found after the implementation of the three tobacco control interventions, although smokers aged 15-39 years were more likely to attempt to quit Of the three population-level tobacco control interventions that were implemented simultaneously in the Netherlands, only the smoke-free legislation seemed to have increased quit attempts. The price increase of cigarettes may have been only effective in stimulating smoking cessation among younger smokers. Larger tax increases, stronger smoke-free legislation and media campaigns about the dangers of (second-hand) smoking are needed in the Netherlands.