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High Prevalence of Smoking Among Urban-Dwelling Canadian Men Who Have Sex with Men

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Abstract

A small but consistent literature from the United States suggests increased risk for smoking among lesbians and men who have sex with men (MSM). Few studies have investigated smoking among MSM in other countries where different social norms and restrictions on smoking in public apply. We measured smoking behaviours in a convenience sample of urban-dwelling young Canadian MSM (median age 28 years). We compared the prevalence of smoking among MSM with that among other men in British Columbia (BC) using National Population Health Survey data to compute an age-adjusted standardized prevalence ratio (SPR). Independent predictors of smoking among MSM were identified using adjusted odds ratios (OR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI). Smoking during the previous year was reported by twice as many MSM (54.5% of 354) as other men in BC (25.9%) (SPR = 1.94, 95% CI 1.48–2.59), with largest differentials observed among men under 25 years of age. In multivariable analyses, smoking among MSM was significantly associated with younger age (OR 0.94, CI 0.88–1.00 per year), greater number of depressive symptoms (OR 1.12, CI 1.06–1.19 per symptom) and Canadian Aboriginal ethnicity (OR 2.64, CI 1.05–6.60). In summary, MSM in our study were twice as likely to smoke as other men in BC; the greatest differences were observed among the youngest men. The design of effective prevention and cessation programs for MSM will require identification of the age-dependent determinants of smoking initiation, persistence, and attempts to quit.

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Acknowledgments

We thank the Vanguard Project participants and study advisors and staff including Jennifer Adachi, Keith Chan, Marcus Greatheart, Steve Martindale, Mary Lou Miller, Dr. Martin Schechter, Arn Schilder, and Dr. Steffanie Strathdee. We thank the anonymous reviewers for suggestions that improved the manuscript. Drs. Lampinen and Hogg and Ms. Rusch are supported by the Michael Smith Foundation for Health Research.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Epidemiology and Population Health, BC Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS, Vancouver, BC, Canada

    Thomas M. Lampinen PhD, Simon J. Bonner, Melanie Rusch & Robert S. Hogg

  2. Department of Health Care and Epidemiology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada

    Thomas M. Lampinen PhD, Melanie Rusch & Robert S. Hogg

Authors
  1. Thomas M. Lampinen PhD
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  2. Simon J. Bonner
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  3. Melanie Rusch
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  4. Robert S. Hogg
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Correspondence to Thomas M. Lampinen PhD.

Additional information

Lampinen, Bonner, Rusch, and Hogg are with the Division of Epidemiology and Population Health, BC Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS, Vancouver, BC, Canada; Lampinen, Rusch, and Hogg are with the Department of Health Care and Epidemiology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada.

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Lampinen, T.M., Bonner, S.J., Rusch, M. et al. High Prevalence of Smoking Among Urban-Dwelling Canadian Men Who Have Sex with Men. J Urban Health 83, 1143–1150 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11524-006-9125-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11524-006-9125-7

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