Higher smoking prevalence in urban compared to non-urban areas: Time trends in six European countries

We investigated differences in smoking prevalence between urban and non-urban area of residence in six Western European countries (Sweden, Finland, Denmark, Germany, Italy and Spain), and smoking prevalence trends over the period 1985–2000. In most countries, smoking prevalence was highest in urban areas, and increased with urbanization. Urban/non-urban inequalities were most pronounced among individuals with low education levels, and also among females. There were no significant differences in annual rate of change in smoking prevalence between non-urban and urban areas.