National Longitudinal Survey of Mature and Young Women (NLSW)

Cigarette Use

Mature Women cohort

Information on the use of cigarettes was collected only in the 1989 and 1995-2003 surveys. The 1989 survey included questions for both current and past users. Respondents were asked the age when they first started smoking regularly and the number of cigarettes/packs they smoked on a usual day. Respondents who had stopped smoking as of the interview date provided the age when they last smoked regularly. The 1995-2003 surveys simply asked whether or not respondents currently smoked. Table MW1 provides reference numbers for the cigarette use questions.

Table MW1. Reference numbers of cigarette use questions: Mature Women
Question 1989 1995 1997 1999 2001 2003
Do you smoke cigarettes now? R09608.00          
Do you smoke cigarettes?   R33654.00 R41338.00 R50910.00 R61846.00 R72892.00
On the average, how many cigarettes do you usually smoke in a day (present smoker)? R09609.00, R09610.00          
How old were you when you first started smoking regularly (present smoker)? R09612.00          
Did you ever smoke cigarettes? R09613.00          
On the average, how many cigarettes did you usually smoke in a day (past smoker)? R09614.00, R09615.00          
How old were you when you last smoked regularly (past smoker)? R09617.00          
How old were you when you first smoked regularly (past smoker)? R09618.00          
Survey Instruments The "Health" sections of the 1989 and 1995-2003 surveys contain the questions on cigarette use.

Young Women cohort

Information on the use of cigarettes was collected in the 1991-2003 surveys. The 1991 survey included questions for both current and past users. Respondents were asked the age when they first started smoking regularly and the number of cigarettes/packs they smoked on a usual day. Respondents who had stopped smoking as of the interview date provided the age when they last smoked regularly. The 1993 survey collected information only about current smoking behavior. In 1995-2003, respondents were asked one question, "Do you smoke cigarettes?" Table YW1 provides reference numbers for cigarette use questions.

Table YW1. Reference numbers of cigarette use questions: Young Women
Question 1991 1993 1995 1997 1999 2001 2003
Do you smoke cigarettes now? R13020.00 R14711.00          
Do you smoke cigarettes?     R33654.00 R41338.00 R50910.00 R61846.00 R72892.00
On the average, how many cigarettes do you usually smoke in a day (present smoker)? R13021.00, R13022.00 R14712.00, R14713.00          
How old were you when you first started smoking regularly (present smoker)? R13024.00            
Did you ever smoke cigarettes? R13025.00            
On the average, how many cigarettes did you usually smoke in a day (past smoker)? R13026.00, R13027.00            
How old were you when you last smoked regularly (past smoker)? R13029.00            
How old were you when you first smoked regularly (past smoker)? R13030.00            
Survey Instruments The "Health" sections of the 1991-2003 surveys contain the questions on cigarette use.