Cigarette Smoking and Mortality in Adults Aged 70 Years and Older: Results From the NIH-AARP Cohort

Sarah H Nash; Linda M Liao; Tamara B Harris; Neal D Freedman

doi:10.1016/j.amepre.2016.09.036

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Cigarette Smoking and Mortality in Adults Aged 70 Years and Older: Results From the NIH-AARP Cohort

Journal article

Peer reviewed

Cigarette Smoking and Mortality in Adults Aged 70 Years and Older: Results From the NIH-AARP Cohort

Sarah H Nash, Linda M Liao, Tamara B Harris and Neal D Freedman

American journal of preventive medicine, Vol.52(3), pp.276-283

03/2017

DOI: 10.1016/j.amepre.2016.09.036

PMCID: PMC5318256

PMID: 27914770

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Abstract

Tobacco use remains a leading modifiable cause of cancer incidence and premature mortality in the U.S. and globally. Despite increasing life expectancy worldwide, less is known about the effects of cigarette smoking on older populations. This study sought to determine the effects of smoking on mortality in older age. Associations of mortality with self-reported age at smoking cessation, age at smoking initiation, and amount smoked after age 70 years were examined in 160,113 participants of the NIH-AARP Diet and Health Study aged >70 years. Participants completed a questionnaire detailing their smoking use in 2004-2005, and were followed for mortality through December 31, 2011. Analyses were conducted between 2014 and 2016. Relative to never smokers, current smokers were more likely to die during follow-up (hazard ratio, 3.18; 95% CI=3.04, 3.31). Furthermore, former smokers had lower risks than current smokers (hazard ratios for quitting between ages 30-39, 40-49, 50-59, and 60-69 years were 0.41 [95% CI=0.39, 0.43], 0.51 [95% CI=0.49, 0.54], 0.64 [95% CI=0.61, 0.67], and 0.77 [95% CI=0.73, 0.81], respectively). Among current smokers, mortality was inversely associated with age at initiation, but directly associated with the number of cigarettes smoked per day at age >70 years. As among younger people, lifetime cigarette smoking history is a key determinant of mortality after age 70 years.

Adult

Age Factors

Aged

Cigarette Smoking - epidemiology

Cohort Studies

Female

Follow-Up Studies

Humans

Incidence

Male

Middle Aged

Mortality, Premature

Proportional Hazards Models

Risk Factors

Smoking - epidemiology

Smoking - mortality

Smoking Cessation - statistics & numerical data

Surveys and Questionnaires

Details

Title: Subtitle: Cigarette Smoking and Mortality in Adults Aged 70 Years and Older: Results From the NIH-AARP Cohort
Creators: Sarah H Nash - Cancer Prevention Fellowship Program, Division of Cancer Prevention, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, Maryland; Metabolic Epidemiology Branch, Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, Maryland. Electronic address: shnash@anthc.org
Linda M Liao - Metabolic Epidemiology Branch, Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, Maryland
Tamara B Harris - Laboratory of Epidemiology and Population Sciences, Demography and Biometry, National Institute on Aging, Bethesda, Maryland
Neal D Freedman - Metabolic Epidemiology Branch, Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, Maryland
Resource Type: Journal article
Publication Details: American journal of preventive medicine, Vol.52(3), pp.276-283
DOI: 10.1016/j.amepre.2016.09.036
PMID: 27914770
PMCID: PMC5318256
NLM abbreviation: Am J Prev Med
ISSN: 0749-3797
eISSN: 1873-2607
Grant note: Z99 CA999999 / Intramural NIH HHS
Language: English
Date published: 03/2017
Academic Unit: Epidemiology; Center for Social Science Innovation
Record Identifier: 9984214842802771

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