Associations between Smoking and Health-related Behaviors of Middle-aged Public Assistance Recipients

Abstract

Purpose: The aim of this study was to clarify the correlation between the smoking status and health-related behavior of middle-aged public assistance recipients living at home.

Method: Public assistance recipients aged 40–64 years were surveyed using anonymous self-administered questionnaires. The survey included questions regarding smoking status, diseases, health-related behavior, and social support. Data from 246 subjects comprising 164 male (66.7%) and 82 female (33.3%) were analyzed.

Results: The rates of smoking in male and female were 57.9% and 39.0%, respectively. In male subjects, the risk of smoking was significantly higher in those with a lower level of education, inappropriate health-related behavior, and little social support. In contrast, in female subjects, the only factor found to have a correlation with smoking was alcohol consumption. In both sexes, no significant correlations were observed between smoking and diseases such as hypertension, diabetes, and depression.

Discussion and Conclusion: Results indicated that female required support for controlling both smoking and alcohol intake. Based on the status of other health-related behavior such as diet, exercise, and sleep, it was found that male required support for quitting smoking. Results also suggested a correlation between smoking and social support, indicating that measures for quitting smoking in public assistance recipients need urgent attention in order to protect the health and lifestyles of such individuals.