Contemplating to quit current smoking status: differences in behavioural and psychosocial patterns in a population-based cohort of current smokers

Background Smokers actively considering to quit smoking were compared with hard-core smokers completely unwilling to change smoking habits with respect to psychosocial variables. Methods A total of 3,229 current regular smokers aged 25–74 years were drawn from three population-based MONICA/KORA Augsburg surveys conducted between 1984 and 1995. Among them, 592 (8.4%) subjects were defined as active contemplators (AC) and 776 (22.6%) as immotives (IM). Multivariate logistic regression analysis stratified by sex was used to identify active contemplators. Results No differences between ACs and IMs were observed for sex and age. Active contemplating in females was strongly mediated by impaired self-rated health [Odds ratio (OR) 2.29; 95% CI 1.42–3.69] and somatic complaints (OR 2.10; 95% CI 1.29–3.48). For men, depression (OR 2.49; 95% CI 1.64–3.79) and not living alone (OR 2.20, 95% CI 1.51–3.20) promoted being AC. Long-term survival was impaired for IM compared to AC. The odds ratio for smoking cessation of ACs compared to IMs was 1.77 (95% CI 1.25–2.50). Conclusions Sex-specific differences in factors associated with the intention to quit smoking were observed and may lead to sex-specific targets in prevention strategy. IMs may be victims of a conceited healthy smoker effect triggered by the absence of disabling body or affective symptoms.