. 2024 Nov 8;16(11):e73288. doi: 10.7759/cureus.73288

Table 6. Comparison of the prevalence of current smoking at four levels of education between women and men aged 65-79 years.

%: age-standardized prevalence among adults with this level of education; in the "Full sample" column, the age-standardization model prevalence additionally controlled for racial/ethnic group; aPR: adjusted prevalence ratio; CI: confidence interval; GED: high school diploma equivalent; AD: associate degree; College graduate: ≥ bachelor’s degree.

^a aPRs in this column compare the prevalence at the lower three levels of education to the prevalence at the ≥ bachelor’s degree level. An aPR > 1.00 indicates a higher prevalence at the lower level of education compared to the prevalence at the college graduate level, while an aPR < 1.00 indicates a lower prevalence compared to that at the college graduate level. An aPR with a 95% CI that does not include 1.00 is statistically significant at p < 0.05.

^b The prevalence among adults at this level of education significantly (p < 0.05) differs from the prevalence among adults at the next higher level based on an aPR that adjusted for age group (65-69, 70-74, 75-79 years); for the "Full sample," the aPRs adjusted for age group and racial/ethnic group.

^c The prevalence among adults at this level of education significantly (p < 0.05) differs from the prevalence among college graduates after adjusting for age group; for the "Full sample," the aPR adjusted for age group and racial/ethnic group.

^d The prevalence among adults in this racial/ethnic group significantly (p < 0.05) differs from the prevalence among White adults with the same level of education after adjusting for age group.

^e The prevalence among Filipino adults significantly (p < 0.05) differs from the prevalence among Chinese adults with the same level of education after adjusting for age group.

^f The prevalence among women significantly (p < 0.05) differs from the prevalence among men at the same level of education and of the same racial/ethnic group; for the "Full sample," the aPR testing for sex differences adjusted for age group and racial/ethnic group.

Level of education

Full sample

White

Black

Latino

Filipino

Chinese

aPR^a (95% CI)

Women

Non-high school graduate

9.4^b

3.10^c(2.78-3.45)

10.7^b

3.28^c (2.87-3.75)

13.7

2.74^c (2.07-3.61)

6.6^bd

2.88^c (2.03-4.07)

3.4^d

2.08^c (1.21-3.57)

2.1^d

2.04 (0.85-4.91)

High school graduate/GED

7.8^b

2.43^c(2.26-2.61)

8.0^b

2.50^c (2.31-2.71)

11.2^bd

2.27^c (1.83-2.83)

4.6^d

1.91^c (1.36-2.69)

3.1^d

1.65(0.94-2.88)

3.6^d

3.04^c(1.68-5.52)

Some college/AD

6.1^b

1.89^c(1.77-2.02)

6.1^b

1.92^c (1.79-2.07)

8.7^bd

1.78^c (1.48-2.15)

4.0^bd

1.68^c (1.20-2.34)

3.4^bde

1.90^c (1.30-2.80)

1.5^d

1.31 (0.72-2.37)

College graduate

3.3

(reference)

3.2

(reference)

4.9^d

(reference)

2.4

(reference)

1.7^d

(reference)

1.1^d

(reference)

Men

Non-high school graduate

11.4^bf

3.17^c(2.85-3.53)

12.8^bf

3.59^c (3.14-4.10)

16.8

2.54^c (1.91-3.40)

7.8^d

2.53^c (1.84-3.48)

8.4^f

2.14^c (1.34-3.39)

7.6^df

3.64^c (2.14-6.17)

High school graduate/GED

9.0^bf

2.49^c(2.30-2.69)

9.2^bf

2.60^c (2.38-2.85)

12.1^d

1.94^c (1.54-2.46)

7.1^bdf

2.27^c (1.67-3.09)

8.7^f

2.23^c (1.59-3.14)

5.5^d

2.46^c (1.49-4.06)

Some college/AD

7.2^bf

2.00^c (1.88-2.13

7.2^bf

2.06^c (1.91-2.20)

10.1^bd

1.64^c (1.35-2.00)

5.8^bdf

1.91^c (1.43-2.55)

7.5^bef

1.88^c (1.43-2.49)

3.9^bdf

1.88^c (1.28-2.78)

College graduate

3.6

(reference)

3.5

(reference)

6.2^df

(reference)

3.1

(reference)

4.0^ef

(reference)

2.1^df

(reference)