Gender difference results in increase in adolescent smoking in 2019 in Ireland- European trend analysis of current smoking prevalence 1995-2019

Title: Gender difference results in increase in adolescent smoking in 2019 in Ireland- European trend analysis of current smoking prevalence 1995-2019
Author(s): J Hanafin S Sunday S Keogan L Clancy
Institution: TobaccoFree Research Institute Ireland
Poster: Click to view poster
Category: General Respiratory and Sleep
Abstract: We examine trends in 30-day smoking among adolescents in Ireland and Europe, 1995-2020.

Ireland has participated in seven data collection waves of ESPAD (European Schools Project for Alcohol and Other Drugs) between 1995 and 2019, during which time more than 500,000 students have completed questionnaires on substance use, including cigarettes.
In 2019, some 100,000 students participated in ESPAD. In Ireland, 1967 students, born in 2003, were surveyed from a stratified random sample of 50 Irish schools.
We compared prevalence and gender differences in the Irish and European samples at different time points from 1995 to 2019.

In Ireland and across Europe, total prevalence of 30-day smoking decreased significantly between 1995 and 2019. Ireland’s decrease (from 41% to 14%) was more dramatic than the European average (32% to 20%). Ireland’s current prevalence is lower than the European average. However, while there was a decline of 5% in the European average between 2015 and 2019, Ireland’s decreasing trend reversed, accounted for by an increase in male smoking from 13% to 16%.

In Ireland, smoking prevalence in 15-16-year-olds has increased for the first time in 25 years. Further focused action is urgently needed to achieve a prevalence of 5% by 2025.





Conflicts of interest: None


Figure 1: 30-day cigarette use since 1995 by gender in Ireland and ESPAD 20