Table 1.

Participant characteristics at baseline

Characteristic	Proactive telephone counselling (n=769)†	Controls (n=793)‡	p Value§
Gender, %
Male	50.2	48.5	0.5
Female	49.8	51.5
Age, years
Mean (SD)	45.4 (12.7)	44.4 (13.8)	0.2
Median	45	44
Country of birth, %
Australia	81.8	79.9	0.4
Other	18.2	20.1
Education, %
Primary only	0.9	1.0	0.5
Year 7–10	32.9	31.3
HSC or TAFE	46.7	46.2
University or tertiary	18.2	19.2
Other	1.3	2.4
Marital status, %
Married/de facto	52.6	57.4	0.01*
Divorced/separated	23.4	16.8
Widowed	3.9	4.7
Never married	20.1	21.1
Employment status, %
Employed full time	45.1	44.6	0.4
Employed part time/casual	20.8	18.5
Unemployed	6.1	6.9
Student	2.0	2.6
Retired	9.6	11.5
Permanently unable to work	6.0	4.7
Home duties	7.5	9.2
Other	2.9	1.9
Area of residence, %
Metropolitan	43.4	42.0	0.6
Non-metropolitan	56.6	58.0
Age began regular smoking
Mean (SD)	17.3 (4.4)	17.6 (4.7)	0.2
Median	17	17
Time to first cigarette, min
Mean (SD)	47.1 (84.4)	55.4 (114.4)	0.1
Median	20	20
Cigarettes per day
Mean (SD)	19.9 (9.6)	18.9 (9.9)	0.03*
Median	20	20
Ever quit for ≥24 h, %
Yes	89.1	89.7	0.7
No/don't know	10.9	10.3
Quit attempt in past 12 months, %
Yes	47.6	47.3	0.9
No	52.4	52.7
Quitting intentions, %
Will quit in next 30 days	29.0	26.9	0.3
Will quit in next 6 months	40.8	38.7
Will not quit in next 6 months	25.7	29.9
Don't know	4.4	4.5
Other household smokers, %
Yes	24.1	25.0	0.7
No	75.9	75.0
Alcohol consumption
Daily	18.9	15.7	0.4
Weekly	42.1	43.8
Less than weekly	21.9	23.8
Don't drink alcohol	17.1	16.7

*p<0.05.

^†Missing data range 0–7.

^‡Missing data range 0–7.

^§Categorical outcomes were analysed with a χ² test and continuous outcomes with a t test.

HSC, Higher School Certificate (Year 12); TAFE, Technical and Further Education.