3.3 writing report presenting statistics If at first you don't succeed, try, try and try again! Most people who successfully give up smoking have tried more than once before 1 activating background knowledge Discuss the following questions together. 1 Do you, or does anyone you know, smoke? 2 Have you / they ever tried to give up? For what reasons? How long did you / they manage to stop for? 3 Have you, or has anyone you know, successfully given up smoking? What helped you / them to do it? (e.g. pressure from family, nicotine chewing gum, acupuncture, etc.) 2 interpreting statistical information Working with a partner, use table 1 below to find the answers to these questions: 1 Who are more likely to give up smoking: • men or women? • older or younger people? 2 What percentage of smokers do not intend to give up? Table 1 Views on giving up smoking by sex and age for 2001 Views on giving up smoking Men Women 16-24yrs 25-44yrs 45-64yrs 65+yrs Total Would like to give up: - very much indeed 29% 27% 16% 29% 35% 16% 28% - quite a lot 18% 26% 25% 24% 22% 11% 22% - a fair amount 17% 14% 20% 14% 14% 12% 15% - a little 8% 7% 13% 6% 7% 5% 7% TOTAL would like to give up 72% 73% 76% 74% 78% 44% 72% would not like to give up 28% 27% 24% 26% 22% 56% 28% Note: The row or column of percentages may add up to 99% or 707 % because of rounding. pH0T0C0PIABLE © OXFORD UNIVERSITY PRESS 31 3.3 writing 3 presenting statistical information The report below presents the data from table 1. Complete it with words from the box. amongst overall strongest survey total said interestingly significant only seems saying U5C5 dropped between Views of current smokers on giving up smoking Introduction This report (1) uses figures collected by the Office for National Statistics for the Department of Health in a (2)_to investigate attitudes to smoking (3)_a representative sample of smokers. Findings There were no (4). (5)_ differences men and women in the desire to give up smoking. 72% of men and 73% of women (6)_they would like to give up, compared with 28% and 27% respectively who had no desire to stop. The age group with the (7)_desire to give up was 45-64, with a total of 78% of respondents (8)_they would like to stop, 35% 'very much indeed'. This was followed by the 16-24 age group, with a (9)_of 76%. (10)_, in the 65 and over age group, the number (11). dramatically to only 44%. Conclusions It (12)_ that, (13). most smokers (over 70%) would like to give up smoking, with only older people (65+) showing less interest in stopping. (14)_28% of the respondents expressed no intention at all of giving up. 4 generating ideas for writing Look at table 2 below and answer the questions. 1 Who are more likely to use sources of help or advice: • men or women? • older or younger people? 2 What kinds of help / advice were used by the respondents? Men Women 16-24yrs 25-44yrs 45-64yrs 65+ yrs 2001 Proportion who have: Total Read leaflets on how to stop 23% 37% 27% 34% 30% 17% 30% Asked for professional help 7% 12% 2% 13% 10% 6% 10% Called a smoker's helpline 2% 6% 5% 4% 4% 1% 4% Joined a stop smoking group 2% 4% - 3% 4% 2% 3% Used prescribed drugs to help 11% 16% 16% 15% 15% 7% 13% Sought any help or advice 32% 44% 44% 43% 39% 22% 38% Not sought help or advice 68% 56% 56% 57% 61% 78% 62% Note: UK success rates show that the best chance of giving up is combining NRT (Nicotine Replacement Therapy in the form of gum or patches) with going to a smokers' clinic (20%). This compares with a 6% success rate for people who use NRT alone or 3% for people using only will power. Writing task You have recently given a presentation on stopping smoking, using the figures in this table. Now summarize the statistics in a report. The title is: Factors influencing smokers to give up: a report based on statistics for the UK in 2001. Include the answers to the questions in exercise 4 and comment on any interesting data. Summarize the main findings in the conclusion. 32 PH0T0C0PIABLE © OXFORD UNIVERSITY PRESS