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. 2007 Dec;16(6):e8. doi: 10.1136/tc.2006.018853

Table 3 Number of national population‐based estimates* according to period of adolescence, level of cigarette consumption and type of cessation attempt estimate.

Characteristic Number of estimates
Any cessation attempt Multiple† cessation attempts
6‐month prevalence§ 12‐month prevalence|| Lifetime prevalence§ 12‐Month prevalence Lifetime prevalence Duration of cessation attempt‡
Period of adolescence
Early 738,39,40,41,42
Early to middle 737,70,75 1435,36,42,43,44,45,46,53,54,55,57,59,60 937,68,70,75 337,68,74 537,70,74
Middle 175 4433,38,39,40,41,42,47,48,49,50,51,56,71 175 174 174
Early to late 730,37,75 122,38,40,41,47,48,49,52,61,72,73 537,75 237,74 437,74
Middle to late 537 1435,36,50,51,58,62,63,64,65,66,67 732,37,68 862,63,64,65,66,67 237,68 337
Late 175 1538,39,40,41,49,50,51,62,63,64,65,66,67 72,75 562,63,64,65,66 174 174
Smoking status
Self‐defined current 1362,63,64,65,66,67 132 1362,63,64,65,66,67
Past week 170 170 170
Past month 2030,37,75 932,33,35,36,38,39,40,41,42,43,44,45,46,47,48,49,50,51,52,53,54,55,56,57,58,59,60,61,71 272,37,68,75 937,68,74 1337,74
Smoking frequency
Any use 1337,75 932,33,35,36,38,39,40,41,42,43,44,45,46,47,48,49,50,51,52,53,54,55,56,57,58,59,60,61 182,37,68,75 937,68,74 737,74
Daily¶ 530,37,70 1362,63,64,65,66,67 82,32,37,70 1362,63,64,65,66,67 437,70
Non‐daily 337 337 337
Cumulative lifetime consumption
⩾100 cigarettes 1430,37,75 12 937 337 937
<100 cigarettes 337 12 337
Any consumption/not stated 437,70 10433,35,36,38,39,40,41,42,43,44,45,46,47,48,49,50,51,52,53,54,55,56,57,58,59,60,61,62,63,64,65,66,67,71 172,32,37,68,70,75 1362,63,64,65,66,67 668,74 570,74

*The estimate, not the study, is the unit of analysis for this table. A single study could report multiple age‐ and smoking history‐specific estimates.

†Studies differed in how multiple cessation attempts were categorised. Categories of ⩾2, ⩾3, and/or ⩾4 cessation attempts could be derived, although not across all studies. If more than one of these cessation attempt frequency categories could be derived for a given smoking characteristic and period of adolescence stratum, then, collectively, they were considered as a single estimate of the prevalence of multiple cessation attempts for that stratum (table 4).

‡Studies differed in how the length of abstinence was categorised. Durations of ⩽1 week, ⩽1 month, ⩽6 months and/or ⩽1 year could be derived, although not across all studies. If more than one of these duration categories could be derived for a given level of cigarette consumption and period of adolescence stratum, then, collectively, they were considered as a single estimate of the duration of the cessation attempt for that stratum (table 5).

§Three reports30,74,75 were based on the 1989 US Teenage Attitudes and Practices Survey. When estimates for duplicate age and/or smoking history strata were available, only Moss et al75 was considered in the calculation of summary estimates.

||Three reports provided duplicate estimates from several of the same populations.31,33,71 When estimates for duplicate age and or smoking history strata were available, they were abstracted from The Global Youth Tobaccos Survey Collaborative Group.33

¶Several studies provided a more detailed breakdown of consumption within the “daily” smoking category.30,37 In such instances only one aggregate age‐specific estimate among daily smokers was counted in tabulating the number of estimates.