Changes in smoking behavior and influencing factors in older adults

The increasing aging population has drawn significant attention to the health behaviors of older men, specifically their smoking habits. In this study, we estimated the changes in smoking behavior among elderly men aged 65 years and over and identified the factors that influenced these changes. Using the Korean Longitudinal Study of Aging (KLoSA) data, conducted between 2006 and 2020, we analyzed the smoking behavior of 1741 elderly men who were 65 years-of-age in the first year. The mean smoking quantity showed a decreasing trend over time, from 4.47 cigarettes/day in 2006 to 0.30 cigarettes/day in 2020. The quadratic change model best explained these changes in smoking behavior. The factors that influenced the initial level of smoking behavior included education, residential area, marital status, age and household income. In conclusion, smoking behavior among elderly men in Korea has shown a significant decreasing trend over the past decade. Several sociodemographic factors played a role in influencing these changes and can provide insights for tailoring health promotion strategies for this population group in the future.

Smoking behavior; Older adults; Psychological factors; Health interventions; Latent growth model

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