Table 1

Demographic and smoking characteristics of smokers who completed assessments for the Massachusetts Smokers Quitline compared to all smokers from the Massachusetts Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (MA BRFSS) and smokers who planned to quit in 30 days (MA BRFSS), 1994–1997

MA Quitline callers, 1994–97 (%)Smokers, MA BRFSS 1994–97(%)Smokers who plan to Quit in 30 days, MA BRFSS 1994–97(%)
*Denotes 95% confidence interval.
†Denotes “MA Quitline callers” are significantly different (p<0.01) from “Smokers, MA BRFSS” and “Smokers who plan to Quit in 30 days, MA BRFSS”.
‡Denotes “Smokers who plan to Quit in 30 days, MA BRFSS” are significantly different (p<0.01) from “Smokers, MA BRFSS”.
Agen=23805n=3306n=961
    <209.82.32.4
    20–39†56.250.949.9
    40–5928.032.732.4
    60+5.914.215.3
Sexn=23866n=3320n=965
    Female†60.250.648.3
    Male39.449.451.7
Ethnicityn=23938n=3292n=956
    White†83.3 (82.8 to 83.8)*88.2 (86.2 to 88.5)*86.6 (83.4 to 87.8)*
    Black6.24.13.7
    Hispanic4.83.75.1
    Other4.04.04.6
Educationn=22780n=3308n=962
    ≤High school†47.553.152.5
    ≥Some college50.946.947.5
Ready to quit in 30 days (%)92.929.1100
Daily smokersn=23938n=3320n=965
    Daily smokers (%)†‡98.182.873.7
    Median number of cigarettes per day232020
    Time to first cigarette:n=23477n=2724n=700
        Immediately †‡40.0 (39.4 to 40.6)*14.4 (12.5 to 16.4)*8.5 (5.8 to 11.2)*
        <15 minutes16.316.414.5
        15–30 minutes16.725.726.3
        31+ minutes26.443.550.7