Results of a recent survey showed a slight decrease in smoking rates in urban Beijing.

The survey, conducted between July 2009 and August 2009 revealed that the smoking rate of urban and rural Beijing residents was 24.8%. Smoking rate in the rural area (29.7%) was higher compared with the urban population (15.4%). Across genders, smoking rates were higher among men (57.2%) than among women (7.4%) with a tendency to increase with age among men and decrease with age among women. Smoking rates were generally higher in populations with a lower educational level than those who are from a high-level education background.

Respondents cited disease prevention education (52.6%) as the major reason for smoking cessation followed by morbidity (22.6%) and family objection (18.1%). Compared with previous survey results, the smoking rate in residents of urban Beijing slightly decreased. There remains a great need to reduce the number of smokers not only in Beijing but across China. As disease prevention appears to be the most effective way to have people stop smoking, patient education should be intensified.

The survey questionnaire was administered in four Beijing districts through a stratified cluster sampling among 7,421 permanent residents 20-89 years of age.