Gender differences in smoking experience and cessation: do wealth and education matter equally for women and men in Serbia?

BACKGROUND: Although nowadays smoking is less popular, one-third of adults in Serbia still smoke regularly. The aim of this study was to analyze associations of smoking experience and quitting with gender and socio-economic status. METHODS: Cross-sectional, population-based nationally representative household survey (Health Survey, 2006). Age- and multivariate-adjusted logistic regression analyses were used to analyze predictors of smoking experience and cessation. RESULTS: Of 12 365 interviewed, 51.1% used to smoke: current smokers accounted for 36.8% and former smokers for 14.3%. Higher educated women were more prone to smoking [secondary school: odds ratio (OR), 1.75; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.52-2.01; university degree: OR, 1.53; 95% CI, 1.26-1.86], whereas for men the opposite was observed (university degree: OR, 0.72; 95% CI, 0.60-0.86). Education also was 'pro-quitting' factor (university degree: OR, 1.46; 95% CI, 1.07-1.99 for women; university degree: OR, 1.61; 95% CI, 1.23-1.80 for men). To quit smoking, wealth status was gradually more important for women, while just the richest men were more likely to quit smoking (OR, 1.45; 95% CI, 1.09-1.93). CONCLUSION: The poorest women in Serbia and the least educated men are those least likely to quit smoking, which indicates that ability to quit is predicted by socio-economic status.

Health-related quality of life in patients with myotonic dystrophy type 1 and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.

The aim was to assess factors that might influence health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in patients with two different neuromuscular disorders - myotonic dystrophy type 1 (DM1) and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). A cross-sectional study was performed on 79 patients with DM1 and 74 with ALS. The HRQoL was evaluated by SF-36, Serbian version. Depressive and anxiety symptoms were assessed using the Hamilton rating scale for depression and the Hamilton rating scale for anxiety respectively. Severity of muscular involvement in DM1 was measured with MRC scale and severity of ALS with ALSFRSr score. The mean total score as well as all domain scores of SF-36 were similar in DM1 and ALS patients (p > 0.05), except that ALS patients experienced less bodily pain (p < 0.05). Depressiveness was found in 51% and marked anxiety in 38% of DM1 patients. Emotional status and severity of muscular involvement emerged as significant independent contributing factors to the total SF-36 in DMI patients (p < 0.05). Only 3% of ALS patients showed depressiveness and 4% anxiety symptoms. The factors found to contribute to HRQoL in ALS patients were severity of disease and educational level ofpatients (p < 0.05). We found significant percentage of potentially treatable emotional disturbances which together with severity of disease significantly contributed to HRQoL in DM1 patients. On the other hand, in ALS patients depressiveness and anxious symptoms were uncommon and the factors found to contribute to HRQoL were severity of disease and educational level.