Health Policy Manag.  2017 Sep;27(3):219-228. 10.4332/KJHPA.2017.27.3.219.

Impact of Increased Tobacco Price on Adult Smoking Rate in South Korea

• Kim DJ
• Kim SJ

• KMID: 2394603
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.4332/KJHPA.2017.27.3.219

Abstract

BACKGROUND
The purpose of this study is to investigate impact of increased tobacco price in 2015 on the adult smoking rate in South Korea.
METHODS
This study used 6th Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey from 2013 to 2015. Total 14,860 adults were included in the analysis. The chi-square test, univariate- and multivariate survey logistic regressions, and subgroup analysis were conducted.
RESULTS
Results show that adult smoking rate before price increase were 19.08% and after price increase were 16.69%. Adjusted by variables associated with smoking behavior and others, multivariate survey logistic regressions revealed that smoking rate decreased after introduction of increased tobacco price policy (odds ratio [OR], 0.745; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.575 to 0.967) and the impact was different by various social status (male: OR, 0.688; 95% CI, 0.523 to 0.905; age over 60: OR, 0.487; 95% CI, 0.315 to 0.754; rural area: OR, 0.531; 95% CI, 0.309 to 0.912; household income Q1: OR, 0.593; 95% CI, 0.352 to 0.999; household income Q4, OR, 0.616; 95% CI, 0.386 to 0.983).
CONCLUSION
The study revealed decreased smoking rate after increased tobacco price policy and different trend depending on various social characteristics. We recommend that government agencies and policy makers should pursue tobacco price control policy continuously and population specific manner and concurrently non-price policy should be implemented as well.

Keyword

Tobacco; Smoking rate; Tobacco price policy

MeSH Terms

Administrative Personnel
Adult*
Family Characteristics
Government Agencies
Humans
Korea*
Logistic Models
Nutrition Surveys
Smoke*
Smoking*
Sociological Factors
Tobacco*
Smoke