OBJECTIVES: Austerity measures imposed on Greece have led to increasing unemployment and decreasing income affecting lifestyle behaviours such as tobacco consumption especially for the socioeconomically disadvantaged population. The aim of the present study was to investigate the factors associated with quitting smoking and quitting smoking during the crisis in Greece.

METHODS: Data were extracted from the 2016 “Health and Welfare” national survey conducted by the Hellenic National School of Public Health. The sample consisted of 2,002 adults. In order to investigate the determinants of quitting smoking and quitting smoking during the crisis, two binary logistic regression models were constructed. Quitting smoking was dichotomized as “ex-smokers” versus “smokers” while quitting smoking during the crisis as “quitted smoking during the crisis” (2010 to 2016) versus “quitted before the crisis” (up to 2009). Independent variables included socio-economic factors, factors relating to health and health behaviors, as well as to the economic crisis and a health services support factor. As a scale indicator (Cronbach’s α=0.76), economic distress, quantified the perceived impact of crisis on each individual in relation to household financial hardship.

RESULTS: Overall, 36.9% of the sample were smokers, 16.0% ex-smokers and 47.1% non-smokers. Of all ex-smokers, 43.9% quitted smoking during the crisis. Factors associated with quitting smoking were age (95% CI: 1.02, 1.06), occupational status: unemployed (95% CI: 1.42, 4.82) and pensioner (95% CI: 1.00, 3.25), economic distress score (95% CI: 0.53, 0.92) and number of cigarettes (95% CI: 1.04, 1.07) A statistically significant influence of age (95% CI: 0.93, 0.96) and economic distress score (95% CI: 1.08, 2.49) was found for quitters during the crisis.

CONCLUSIONS: While economic distress is negatively associated with quitting smoking, it is positively associated with quitting during the crisis, rendering smoking cessation a positive by-product of the crisis.