Quality Assessment of Data on Smoking Behaviour in the WHO MONICA Project

Table 3. Comparison of the MONICA standard questionnaire and the questionnaires used in the initial, middle and final survey (see Section 4)
RUA Deviations of the initial survey questionnaire from the standard questionnaire 1 Deviations of the middle from the initial survey 2 Deviations of the final from the middle survey 3
AUS-NEWa Ask only about regular past or present smoking. EVERCIG precedes CIGS changing the whole structure. CIGS and EVERCIG ask not only cigarette smoking but cigar and pipe-smoking as well. STOP: year and month of stopping smoking asked. MAXCIGS not asked. The order of CIGS and EVERCIG reversed. CIGS and EVERCIG allow only yes/no options so regular and occasional smokers can not be separated. CIGAGE has been left out. EVERCIG and CIGS asked in one question (regularly now/occasionally now/past/never). IFLYEAR as in standard format. CIGAGE, MAXCIGS, CIGARSM, PIPESM, DAYCIGS and OTHERSM included.
AUS-PERa Ask only about regular past or present smoking. EVERCIG precedes CIGS changing the whole structure. CIGS and EVERCIG ask not only cigarette smoking but cigar and pipe-smoking as well. STOP: year and month of stopping asked. CIGAGE refers to regular smoking. MAXCIGS not asked. No difference. CIGS: 'how often do you smoke now?". MAXCIGS included. OTHERSM included, refers to last 10 years (hours/week, recoded for transfer).
AUS-PERb snd Ask only about regular past or present smoking. EVERCIG precedes CIGS changing the whole structure. CIGS and EVERCIG ask not only cigarette smoking but cigar and pipe-smoking as well. STOP: year and month of stopping asked. CIGAGE refers to regular smoking. MAXCIGS not asked. CIGS: 'how often do you smoke now?". MAXCIGS included. OTHERSM included, refers to last 10 years (hours/week, recoded for transfer).
RUA Deviations of the initial survey questionnaire from the standard questionnaire 1 Deviations of the middle from the initial survey 2 Deviations of the final from the middle survey 3
BEL-CHAa CIGS allow only yes/no options so regular and occasional smokers cannot be separated. CIGS asks not only cigarette smoking but cigar and pipe smoking as well. EVERCIG asks only about regular smoking. MAXCIGS not asked. Past pipe and cigar smoking asked in a separate question. No difference. Occasional smokers can be separated (CIGS, EVERCIG). MAXCIGS included.
BEL-GHEa
BEL-LUXa Ask only about regular past or present smoking. IFLYEAR and MAXCIGS not asked. STOP: age at stopping smoking asked. Several questions pertaining to EVERCIG, CIGARSM and PIPESM. snd snd
CAN-HALa Ask only about regular smoking. EVERCIG precedes CIGS changing the whole structure. Month of stopping asked. CIGAGE and MAXCIGS not asked. CIGARSM and PIPESM asked offering yes/no options. snd Don't ask about pipe or cigar smoking. Current occasional smoking asked. MAXCIGS and CIGAGE included. STOP: <1, 1-5,>5 years ago. IFLYEAR: <6 months,>6 months ago. DAYCIGS refers to last 30 days.
CHN-BEIa In addition self-rolled cigarettes, which are added to NUMCIGS (1.1 g = 1 cig). MAXCIGS asked from past smokers only. No difference. NUMCIGS does not include hand-rolled cigarettes. DAYCIGS, OTHERSM included. MAXCIGS asked from all current and past smokers.
RUA Deviations of the initial survey questionnaire from the standard questionnaire 1 Deviations of the middle from the initial survey 2 Deviations of the final from the middle survey 3
CZE-CZEa MAXCIGS defined without reference to one year period. No difference. MAXCIGS refers to the year the subject smoked most, but the whole one year period not required. DAYCIGS, OTHERSM included.
DEN-GLOa Questions very different. IFLYEAR not asked. CIGS and EVERCIG ask not only cigarette smoking but cigar and pipe-smoking as well. Cigars per day. CIGAGE not asked. OTHERSM included giving categories (never, 0.5-1, 2-4, 5+ hrs/day). IFLYEAR: month of stopping asked. CIGAGE included, does not refer to regular smoking. OTHERSM included (hrs/day). DAYCIGS included: number of smoking days per week asked.
FIN-KUOa Questions very different. STOP not asked. EVERCIG precedes CIGS changing the whole structure. Don't ask for occasional ex-smokers. CIGS and EVERCIG ask not only cigarette smoking but cigar and pipe-smoking as well. Cigars per day. Pipefuls (2.5 g), not grams, per day. MAXCIGS, CIGAGE, CIGARSM and PIPESM not asked No difference. CIGAGE included, does not refer to regular smoking. DAYCIGS, OTHERSM included.
FIN-NKAa
FIN-TULa
RUA Deviations of the initial survey questionnaire from the standard questionnaire 1 Deviations of the middle from the initial survey 2 Deviations of the final from the middle survey 3
FRA-LILa MAXCIGS, CIGAGE, CIGARSM and PIPESM not asked. snd CIGAGE, MAXCIGS, CIGARSM, PIPESM, DAYCIGS and OTHERSM included. CIGAGE asks about the age of beginning regular smoking, the instructions, however, refer both to regular and occasional smoking. DAYCIGS asked from occasional smokers only. EVERCIG refers to regular smoking.
FRA-STRa CIGS asks not only cigarette smoking but cigar and pipe smoking as well. Cigarette, cigar or pipe smoking asked in a separate question. MAXCIGS not asked. snd CIGAGE asks about the age of beginning regular smoking, the instructions, however, refer both to regular and occasional smoking. MAXCIGS, CIGARSM, PIPESM, DAYCIGS and OTHERSM included. DAYCIGS asked from occasional smokers only. EVERCIG refers to regular smoking.
FRA-TOUa Recent quitters (-3 months) were considered as current smokers. Cigarette, cigar or pipe smoking asked in a separate question. MAXCIGS not asked. No difference. Addressed to men only. CIGAGE asks about the age of beginning regular smoking, the instructions, however, refer both to regular and occasional smoking. MAXCIGS, CIGARSM, PIPESM, DAYCIGS and OTHERSM included. DAYCIGS asked from occasional smokers only. EVERCIG refers to regular smoking. No mention about recent quitters.
GER-AURa Order of questions different, some additional questions and 'occasional smoking' asked in a separate question. IFLYEAR: -1, 1-3, 4-6, 7-12 months ago. MAXCIGS asked from past smokers only. Additional questions. No difference.
GER-AUUa
RUA Deviations of the initial survey questionnaire from the standard questionnaire 1 Deviations of the middle from the initial survey 2 Deviations of the final from the middle survey 3
GER-BREa CIGS and EVERCIG allow only yes/no options so regular and occasional smokers cannot be separated. IFLYEAR: -3, 4-6, 7-12 months ago. 'Pipes', not grams, per day. Cigars per day. CIGAGE refers to regular smoking. MAXCIGS, CIGARSM and PIPESM not asked. No difference. No difference.
GER-BREb snd CIGS and EVERCIG allow only yes/no options so regular and occasional smokers cannot be separated. IFLYEAR: -3, 4-6, 7-12 months ago. 'Pipes', not grams, per day. Cigars per day. CIGAGE refers to regular smoking. MAXCIGS, CIGARSM and PIPESM not asked. No difference.
GER-BERa MAXCIGS not asked. CIGAGE has been left out. CIGARSM and CIGAR asked in the same question, as well as PIPESM and PIPE, addressing only present cigar and pipe smokers. snd
GER-COTa MAXCIGS not asked. CIGAGE has been left out. CIGARSM and CIGAR asked in the same question, as well as PIPESM and PIPE, addressing only present cigar and pipe smokers. snd
RUA Deviations of the initial survey questionnaire from the standard questionnaire 1 Deviations of the middle from the initial survey 2 Deviations of the final from the middle survey 3
GER-EGEc MAXCIGS not asked. CIGAGE has been left out. CIGARSM and CIGAR asked in the same question, as well as PIPESM and PIPE, addressing only present cigar and pipe smokers. CIGAGE, MAXCIGS, CIGARSM, PIPESM, DAYCIGS, and OTHERSM included. EVERCIG and STOP refer to regular smoking.
GER-EGEd Only two questions on smoking: 1) Categories a) never smoker b) stopped over 1 year ago c) cigarette smoker d) other (cigar, pipe) and 2) Number of cigarettes smoked. Same questionnaire used as in GER-BERa. CIGAGE, MAXCIGS, CIGARSM, PIPESM, DAYCIGS, and OTHERSM included. EVERCIG and STOP refer to regular smoking.
GER-ERFa Only two questions on smoking: 1) Categories a) never smoker b) stopped over 1 year ago c) cigarette smoker d) other (cigar, pipe) and 2) Number of cigarettes smoked. Same questionnaire used as in GER-BERa. IFLYEAR, MAXCIGS, DAYCIGS, OTHERSM not asked. CIGAGE derived from date of birth and date of beginning smoking. CIGARSM and PIPESM derived from CIGAR and PIPE.
GER-HACa MAXCIGS not asked. CIGAGE has been left out. CIGARSM and CIGAR asked in the same question, as well as PIPESM and PIPE, addressing only present cigar and pipe smokers. snd
GER-KMSc Only two questions on smoking: 1) Categories a) never smoker b) stopped over 1 year ago c) cigarette smoker d) other (cigar, pipe) and 2) Number of cigarettes smoked. Same questionnaire used as in GER-BERa. snd
GER-KMSd MAXCIGS not asked. CIGAGE has been left out. CIGARSM and CIGAR asked in the same question, as well as PIPESM and PIPE, addressing only present cigar and pipe smokers. snd
RUA Deviations of the initial survey questionnaire from the standard questionnaire 1 Deviations of the middle from the initial survey 2 Deviations of the final from the middle survey 3
GER-RDMe Only two questions on smoking: 1) Categories a) never smoker b) stopped over 1 year ago c) cigarette smoker d) other (cigar, pipe) and 2) Number of cigarettes smoked. snd snd
GER-RDMf MAXCIGS not asked. snd snd
GER-RHNa No difference. snd snd
HUN-BUDa CIGAGE asked only from current smokers. No difference. snd
HUN-PECa
ICE-ICEa MAXCIGS not asked. CIGAGE has been left out. CIGARSM and CIGAR asked in the same question, as well as PIPESM and PIPE, addressing only present cigar and pipe smokers. MAXCIGS, CIGAGE, CIGARSM, PIPESM, DAYCIGS and OTHERSM included. EVERCIG and STOP refer to regular smoking.
ISR-TELa Used Core Data Transfer Format as their questionnaire. snd snd
ITA-BRIa MAXCIGS, CIGAGE, CIGARSM and PIPESM not asked. CIGAGE has been included. STOP refers to regular smoking. MAXCIGS, CIGARSM, PIPESM, DAYCIGS and OTHERSM included.
ITA-FRIa Don't ask NUMCIGS from occasional smokers. Additional questions. No difference. CIGAGE, EVERCIG and STOP refer to regular smoking. DAYCIGS and OTHERSM included. DAYCIGS: number of smoking days per week asked. Asked only from occasional smokers. DAYCIGS multiplied by number of cigarettes on smoking days calculated to derive NUMCIGS for occasional smokers.
ITA-LATa The same questionnaire as in ITA-FRIa. snd snd
RUA Deviations of the initial survey questionnaire from the standard questionnaire 1 Deviations of the middle from the initial survey 2 Deviations of the final from the middle survey 3
LTU-KAUa CIGS and EVERCIG asked in the same question: don't ask for occasional past smoking. MAXCIGS, CIGARSM, PIPESM, CIGAR and PIPE not asked. STOP: years since stopping asked. Different order of questions. EVERCIG: option for occasional past smoking included. MAXCIGS, CIGARSM, PIPESM, CIGAR, PIPE, DAYCIGS and OTHERSM included. STOP as in standard format. CIGAR asked also from past cigar smokers.
MLT-MLTa Same questionnaire as in FIN-KUOa, FIN-NKAa and FIN-TULa. snd snd
NEZ-AUCa CIGAGE refers to regular smoking. STOP: year or month asked. Grams of hand-rolled tobacco per week asked in a separate question. snd EVERCIG and STOP refer to regular smoking. STOP: year and month asked. DAYCIGS and OTHERSM included. Question on hand-rolled tobacco dropped.
POL-TARa CIGAGE refers to regular smoking. Additional questions. No difference. DAYCIGS and OTHERSM included. OTHERSM asks about 'hours spent with other smokers during an average week'.
POL-WARa CIGAGE refers to regular smoking. Additional questions. No difference. DAYCIGS and OTHERSM included.
RUA Deviations of the initial survey questionnaire from the standard questionnaire 1 Deviations of the middle from the initial survey 2 Deviations of the final from the middle survey 3
ROM-BUCa Used Core Data Transfer Format as their questionnaire (?). snd snd
RUS-MOCa CIGARSM and PIPESM not asked. CIGAGE, MAXCIGS excluded. CIGAGE, MAXCIGS, CIGARSM, PIPESM, DAYCIGS and OTHERSM included. CICAGE does not refer to regular smoking.
RUS-MOIa
RUS-MOIb CIGARSM and PIPESM not asked. snd snd
RUS-NOCa MAXCIGS, CIGARSM and PIPESM not asked. NUMCIGS is separately asked from regular and occasional smokers as well as CIGAGE. MAXCIGS, CIGARSM, PIPESM, DAYCIGS and OTHERSM included. NUMCIGS asked from regular smokers only. OTHERSM: 'how many hours per day, on average,  are you near people who smoke?'
RUS-NOCb MAXCIGS, CIGARSM and PIPESM not asked. snd snd
RUS-NOIa MAXCIGS, CIGARSM and PIPESM not asked. NUMCIGS is separately asked from regular and occasional smokers as well as CIGAGE. MAXCIGS, CIGARSM, PIPESM, DAYCIGS and OTHERSM included. NUMCIGS asked from regular smokers only. OTHERSM: 'how many hours per day, on average, are you near people who smoke?'
RUA Deviations of the initial survey questionnaire from the standard questionnaire 1 Deviations of the middle from the initial survey 2 Deviations of the final from the middle survey 3
SPA-CATa MAXCIGS not asked. Additional questions. MAXCIGS, DAYCIGS and OTHERSM have been included. MAXCIGS asked from past smokers only. MAXCIGS asked from all current and past smokers.
SWE-GOTa No difference. CIGAGE asked from current regular smokers only. Informed that MAXCIGS was not asked. NUMCIGS was not asked from occasional smokers. CIGARSM and PIPESM not asked. Additional question on snuff use. MAXCIGS asked. CIGARSM, PIPESM and DAYCIGS included. CIGAGE, EVERCIG and STOP refer to regular smoking.
SWE-NSWa CIGARSM and PIPESM asked offering yes/no options. CIGARSM and CIGAR asked in the same question, as well as PIPESM and PIPE, addressing only present cigar and pipe smokers. MAXCIGS excluded. Additional questions on snuff use. MAXCIGS, CIGARSM, PIPESM, DAYCIGS and OTHERSM included. CIGAGE, EVERCIG and STOP refer to regular smoking.
SWI-TICa CIGAGE and MAXCIGS not asked. CIGARSM and PIPESM asked offering yes/no options. CIGAGE has been included, refers to regular smoking. MAXCIGS, CIGARSM, PIPESM, DAYCIGS and OTHERSM included. STOP refers to regular smoking. CIGAR and PIPE asked separately from regular and occasional smokers. EVERCIG asked separately from occasional and non-smokers. DAYCIGS asked from occasional smokers only.
SWI-VAFa
RUA Deviations of the initial survey questionnaire from the standard questionnaire 1 Deviations of the middle from the initial survey 2 Deviations of the final from the middle survey 3
UNK-BELa PIPE includes hand rolled cigarettes. Additional questions. NUMCIGS coded 1 for occasional smokers. OTHERSM included. DAYCIGS included.
UNK-GLAa Additional questions. MAXCIGS asked from past smokers only. MAXCIGS asked from all current and past smokers. DAYCIGS and OTHERSM included. DAYCIGS: number of smoking days per week. STOP, IFLYEAR: 'how long ago did you stop smoking?' (years and months ago asked). Additional questions.
USA-STAa Ask only about regular past or present smoking. EVERCIG precedes CIGS changing the whole structure. IFLYEAR: time since quitting asked. Present regular cigar and pipe smoking asked in the same question (CIGARSM, PIPESM). PIPE, CIGAR times a week. CIGAGE refers to regular smoking. MAXCIGS not asked. No difference. No difference.
YUG-NOSa Cigars per day. CIGARSM and CIGAR asked in the same question, as well as PIPESM and PIPE, addressing only present cigar and pipe smokers. CIGAGE, MAXCIGS have been left out. EVERCIG refers to regular smoking. CIGAGE, MAXCIGS, CIGARSM, PIPESM, DAYCIGS and OTHERSM included. Cigars per week.
RUA Deviations of the initial survey questionnaire from the standard questionnaire 1 Deviations of the middle from the initial survey 2 Deviations of the final from the middle survey 3

1 Items MAXCIGS, CIGAGE, CIGARSM and PIPESM were included in the MONICA standard questionnaire but not in the data transfer format (version 3). Mentioned here if not asked.

2 Items DAYCIGS and OTHERSM were added to the MONICA questionnaire, but at so a late stage that only SPA-CAT (and UNK-GLA for OTHERSM) was able to add them to their own questionnaire. Items MAXCIGS, CIGAGE, CIGARSM, PIPESM, DAYCIGS and OTHERSM were added to the data transfer format (version 6).

3 No new items introduced to the questionnaire and the data transfer format (version 7), but changes in questions so that EVERCIG, STOP and CIGAGE refer to regular smoking.

Key: snd = survey not done