The regional variation in tobacco smoking - attributable mortality in Poland, 2006-2010.

STUDY

OBJECTIVE

To explain the regional variation in smoking-attributable mortality in Poland by selected environmental characteristics.

MATERIAL AND

METHODS

On the basis of the simplified Peto method, standardized smoking-attributable death rates were estimated by applying data on overall mortality and mortality due to malignant neoplasms of trachea, bronchus and lung for the years 2006-2010 obtained from the Central Statistical Office. The correlation between smoking-attributable mortality (SAM) and selected regional characteristics was estimated in two models of linear regression (for men and women). The characteristics of 379 NUTS-4 regions for the years 2006-2010 were derived from the CSO and other public data sources.

RESULTS

In both absolute and relative terms, the male and female SAM appeared to be higher in the northern and western regions of Poland. For both men and women, the linear regression confirmed the significant positive correlation between the level of SAM and poverty, hazardous working conditions, crime level, low level of settlement, low proportion of persons in agriculture and of University graduates. Additional variables correlating with the male SAM pointed to unemployment, proportion employed in services, mortality due to intentional self-harm and electoral turnout.

CONCLUSION

At the NUTS-4 level, the territorial variation in male and female SAM can be partially explained by the variation in regional characteristics indicating unfavourable economic and social conditions.