Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40101759›Full record

Observational studyAddiction (Abingdon, England)2025

Trends in smoking prevalence and socio-economic inequalities across regions in England: A population study, 2006 to 2024.

Sarah E Jackson, Sharon Cox, Vera Buss, Harry Tattan-Birch, Jamie Brown

Abstract readObservational Study
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Observational study in Addiction (Abingdon, England), 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 4 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
4citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

4 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. Sociodemographic and Regional Differences in Cigarette Consumption Across Great Britain: A Population Study, 2022-2024.Nicotine & tobacco research : official journal of the Society for Research on Nicotine and Tobacco · 2025
    Article
  3. Observational
  4. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

5 authors.

Sarah E JacksonDepartment of Behavioural Science and Health, University College London, London, UK.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5658-6168
Sharon CoxDepartment of Behavioural Science and Health, University College London, London, UK.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8494-5105
Vera BussDepartment of Behavioural Science and Health, University College London, London, UK.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9963-8693
Harry Tattan-BirchDepartment of Behavioural Science and Health, University College London, London, UK.
Jamie BrownDepartment of Behavioural Science and Health, University College London, London, UK.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2797-5428

Funding

Cancer Research UK PRCRPG-Nov21\100002
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

BACKGROUND AND

aimIn addition to national policies and interventions, certain regions in England (particularly in the North) coordinate regional tobacco control programmes. This study aimed to (i) examine trends in tobacco smoking prevalence and socioeconomic inequalities in smoking across regions and (ii) explore how trends in smoking prevalence have differed between regions with and without dedicated regional tobacco control activity.

designObservational study using data drawn from nationally representative monthly cross-sectional household surveys, conducted between November 2006 and July 2024.

settingEngland.

participants368 057 adults (≥16 years old). MEASUREMENTS: We used logistic regression to estimate time trends in current smoking by region, and tested interactions with occupational social grade to explore differences between more and less advantaged groups.

findingsSmoking prevalence declined most in the North [28.8% to 15.8%; -12.9 percentage points (95% confidence interval -14.4 to -11.5)], similar to the national average in the Midlands [25.2% to 16.0%; -9.2 (-10.6 to -7.9)], and least in the South [22.7% to 17.3%; -5.3 (-6.5 to -4.0)], reducing regional disparities such that prevalence was similar across regions in 2024. Socioeconomic inequalities in smoking prevalence between more and less advantaged social grades fell most in Yorkshire and the Humber [from 17.9 percentage points (14.1-21.8) to 3.7 (0.4-7.0)] and the West Midlands [from 16.1 (12.8-19.6) to 3.0 (-0.03 to 6.0)]. Regions with sustained regional tobacco control activity saw greater declines in smoking prevalence [-13.3 (-15.3 to -11.3)] than regions with none [-9.3 (-10.0 to -8.5)].

conclusionsBetween 2006 and 2024, smoking rates in the North of England fell faster than the national average, narrowing the geographic inequalities in smoking prevalence and bringing the North of England into alignment with other regions by 2024. Regional tobacco control programmes appeared to contribute to this progress.

Indexed as

SmokingAdolescentAdultAgedCross-Sectional StudiesEnglandFemaleHealth Status DisparitiesHumansMaleMiddle AgedPrevalenceSocioeconomic FactorsYoung Adultcigarettesobservational studypopulation trendsregionalsmokingtobaccotobacco control

Identifiers

PMID40101759
PMCPMC12319661

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.