Middle-aged women from more deprived backgrounds in Great Britain are significantly more likely to smoke and face greater challenges when trying to quit, according to a new study from researchers at UCL.
The study, published in BMC Medicine and funded by Cancer Research UK, analysed women’s smoking habits by age and socio-economic status and revealed that for women from less deprived backgrounds, smoking rates were highest in adolescence and early adulthood before declining through middle-age and later life.
In contrast, smoking rates for women from more deprived backgrounds peaked in middle-age and were more than double that of women from less deprived backgrounds over this period.
The research also shows most women attempt to quit earlier in life, and women across all socioeconomic backgrounds attempt to quit at similar rates. However, women from more deprived backgrounds are less successful, particularly between the ages of 45 -60 - a stage when many are navigating perimenopause and menopause. Balancing caregiving responsibilities and managing greater life stresses could also be barriers to women quitting during mid-life.
Lead author Professor Sarah Jackson (UCL Institute of Epidemiology & Health Care) said: "It’s concerning to see that women from more deprived backgrounds find it harder to quit smoking, especially during mid-life. Many women in their 40s and 50s are balancing work, caring responsibilities and biological changes such as menopause, and these pressures may make quitting smoking particularly challenging.
"These findings highlight important gaps in our understanding of women’s health across life and point to the need for further research into the biological, social, and economic factors that influence women’s ability to quit smoking at different ages."
Interestingly, this mid-life drop in quitting success was not seen in men from similar backgrounds, pointing to a challenge that may be unique to women - though the research notes that further evidence is needed.
Smoking Toolkit Study data collected between 2023 and 2025 was analysed for smoking trends in women across England, Wales and Scotland.
Cancer Research UK’s chief executive officer, Michelle Mitchell said: "Smoking is the biggest cause of cancer deaths in the UK and a key driver of cancer inequalities. This study highlights how middle-aged women from more deprived backgrounds face particular challenges.
"Growing up, my mum and aunts smoked heavily so I know first-hand how important it is that everyone can access support to help them quit. No one should be left behind in the journey towards a smokefree UK.
"It’s essential that the UK Government swiftly passes and implements the Tobacco and Vapes Bill. Governments across the UK must also sustainably fund stop smoking support, and this should be tailored to help those most affected by smoking inequalities."
Across the UK, smoking is the biggest preventable cause of cancer inequalities. People living in deprived areas are more likely to smoke and find it harder to quit.
It’s estimated that ending smoking could more than halve England’s inequality gap for cancer incidence
Smoking causes around 57,700 cancer cases each year in the UK - equivalent to around 160 cases of cancer every day.
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