Table 1

Distribution of the contextual indicators in neighbourhood quartiles, the prevalence of daily smoking [95% c.i.] and the distribution of study population in the corresponding quartiles
Indicator
 Quartile 1
 Quartile 2
 Quartile 3
 Quartile 4
 All
% Unemployed (1)




     mean
 3.7
 6.3
 8.3
 12.3
 7.7
     min-max
 0.0–5.1
 5.2–7.3
 7.5–10.0
 10.1–15.9
 0.0–15.9
     % daily smokers
 18.5 [15.6–21.5]
 20.3 [17.9–22.8]
 25.7 [23.2–28.1]
 23.9 [21.5–26.4]
 22.7 [21.4–24.0]
     n (%)
 669 (16.3)
 1013 (24.6)
 1224 (29.8)
 1207 (29.3)
 4113 (100)
% Manual workers (2)




     mean
 14.1
 20.6
 27.8
 39.8
 26.4
     min-max
 6.8–18.6
 18.7–25.3
 26.3–30.9
 31.0–100.0
 6.8–100.0
     % daily smokers
 21.6 [18.7–24.5]
 19.3 [16.9–21.7]
 23.6 [21.4–25.7]
 26.1 [23.2–29.0]
 22.7 [21.4–24.0]
     n (%)
 770 (18.7)
 1010 (24.6)
 1464 (35.6)
 869 (21.1)
 4113 (100)
% Single households (3)




     mean
 21.0
 35.6
 47.7
 58.4
 41.5
     min-max
 8.7–30.4
 30.5–42.6
 42.7–52.9
 53.3–74.5
 8.7–74.5
     % daily smokers
 17.4 [14.9–20.0]
 23.0 [20.6–25.5]
 25.7 [23.4–28.1]
 22.8 [20.0–25.6]
 22.7 [21.4–24.0]
     n (%)
 850 (20.7)
 1115 (27.1)
 1298 (31.6)
 850 (20.7)
 4113 (100)
% Single-parent families(4)




     mean
 7.9
 13.4
 17.7
 23.1
 15.9
     min-max
 0.0–11.7
 11.8–15.4
 15.7–20.5
 20.7–27.9
 0.0–27.9
     % daily smokers
 19.2 [16.2–22.2]
 20.5 [17.8–23.2]
 25.1 [22.7–27.4]
 23.5 [21.2–25.8]
 22.7 [21.4–24.0]
     n (%)
 663 (16.1)
 834 (20.3)
 1296 (32.0)
 1320 (32.1)
 4113 (100)

(1) % employed of total labour force. Year 2001. Source: City of Helsinki Urban Facts.

(2) % manual workers of economically active residents. Year 2000. Source: Helsinki Region Statistics.

(3) % single households of all households. Year 2001. Helsinki Region Statistics

(4) % single-parent families of all families. Year 2001. Helsinki Region Statistics

Karvonen et al. BMC Public Health 2008 8:134   doi:10.1186/1471-2458-8-134