Objective: To evaluate the association of smoking with urgency in older people.
Methods: A population-based survey involving 1,059 people aged 60-89 years. A stratified sampling method was used and data were collected by interviews. The response rate was 82%. The indicators were urgency, former and current smoking, alcohol and coffee drinking. Prevalences of urgency were calculated for 15-year age groups of the two genders. Logistic regression models were used to analyse the age-adjusted association of urgency with smoking, use of alcohol and coffee drinking in the whole study population and separately in the two gender groups.
Results: The prevalence of urgency was lowest among younger men (6.6%) and highest among older women (19.5%). In the whole study population including both genders the current smokers were at greater risk of suffering from urgency [OR (odds ratio) 2.76; 95% CI (confidence interval) 1.43-5.32] than the never-smokers while the OR of urgency for former smokers was 1.63 (95% CI 0.97-2.74). In the separate models for the two genders the current male smokers (OR 2.55; 95% CI 1.13-5.73) and the former female smokers (OR 2.62; 95% CI 1.14-6.0) were at greater risk. The OR for current female smokers was 2.54 (95% CI 0.79-8.22), but the group was very small. Alcohol use and coffee drinking were not associated with urgency.
Conclusion: Smoking is associated with urgency in older people. Especially current smokers are at greater risk than never-smokers. The prevalence of urgency is higher among women and is increased in both genders with advancing age. The study material being cross-sectional the causal relationship cannot be confirmed.