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Important Facts for Smoking Among Adults

Definition

Current smoking: Percentage of adults aged 18 years and older who smoke cigarettes every day or some days.[[br]] [[br]] Quit attempt: Percentage of current smokers aged 18 years and older who reported that they stopped smoking for one day or longer in the past 12 months because they were trying to quit.

Numerator

Current smoking: Number of adults aged 18 years and older who have smoked at least 100 cigarettes in their life time and who now report smoking cigarettes every day or some days.[[br]] [[br]] Quit attempt: Number of survey respondents who reported being current smokers and stopping smoking for one day or longer in the past 12 months because they were trying to quit.

Denominator

Current smokers: Number of adults aged 18 years and older.[[br]] [[br]] Quit attempt: Number of survey respondents who reported being current cigarette smokers.

Data Interpretation Issues

The Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) survey is conducted with a representative sample of non-institutionalized Utah adults living in households with a landline telephone. In 2010, the BRFSS added cell phone interviews to the survey protocol and introduced a new weighting methodology that better represents populations of low socioeconomic status. More details about these changes can be found at: [https://ibis.health.utah.gov/pdf/opha/resource/brfss/RakingImpact2011.pdf]. Due to these changes survey results from the years before 2010 are not comparable to results observed in 2010 or later. The 2010 estimated adult smoking rate was higher compared to rates from previous years that were based on post-stratification by age, sex, and local health district. As with all telephone surveys, data may be subject to error as resulting from non-coverage (e.g., lower telephone coverage among some low SES populations), non-response (e.g., refusal to participate in the survey or answer specific questions), or measurement (e.g. social desirability or recall bias). Interviewer training and monitoring and strict adherence to good survey research protocols reduce errors from these sources.

Why Is This Important?

Tobacco use remains the leading preventable cause of death and disease in the United States. In Utah, smoking claims more than 1,300 lives each year. It causes or worsens nearly every chronic condition and contributes to the primary causes of death in Utah including heart disease, respiratory disease, and cancer. Smoking increases the risk for cancer of the lungs, larynx, esophagus, mouth, and bladder and contributes to cancer of the cervix, pancreas, and kidneys. Exposure to secondhand smoke increases the risk of heart disease and lung cancer among nonsmokers.

Healthy People Objective TU-1.1:

Reduce cigarette smoking by adults
U.S. Target: 12.0 percent
State Target: 9.0 percent

Other Objectives

Utah's 42 Community Health Indicators[[br]] CSTE Chronic Disease Indicators

How Are We Doing?

The Utah adult smoking rate has decreased significantly since the Utah Department of Health Tobacco Prevention and Control Program started receiving Master Settlement Agreement funds in 2000. People with low household income and fewer years of formal education report higher rates of tobacco use than the general population. Approximately 70% of Utah smokers intend to quit within the next year. Comprehensive and free tobacco cessation services help Utah smokers quit successfully and ensure declines in tobacco use rates across population groups.

How Do We Compare With the U.S.?

In 2021, the Utah adult smoking rate was 7.3% compared to the national rate of 16.0% (2019). (Rates are age-adjusted to the U.S. 2000 standard population.)

What Is Being Done?

The Tobacco Prevention and Control Program (TPCP) at the Utah Department of Health and its partners use comprehensive programs to prevent young people from starting to use tobacco, help tobacco users quit, promote tobacco-free environments, and reduce tobacco-related disparities. These programs include an extensive anti-tobacco marketing campaign, free and confidential tobacco cessation services, school- and community-based prevention programs, and efforts to improve tobacco-free policies. These policies support tobacco-free norms and protect nonsmokers from secondhand smoke. The marketing campaign uses television, radio, billboard, print, and online media to reach youth, adults, pregnant women, racial and ethnic minorities, and rural populations with anti-tobacco messages. The goals of the campaign are to counter tobacco industry promotions, inform Utahns about quitting services, and support local tobacco control efforts. Quitting services available to Utahns are accessible through the Utah tobacco cessation web site, [http://www.waytoquit.org], and include a toll-free Tobacco Quitline (1-800-QUIT-NOW), individual services that allow tobacco users to choose from a combination of quit medications, e-mail, chat, or text messages, and print materials, and a web-based tobacco cessation program. The TPCP also partners with community health clinics to offer counseling services for uninsured or under-insured tobacco users. Efforts to protect nonsmokers from secondhand smoke focus on strengthening tobacco-free policies in apartment complexes, workplaces, schools, and outdoor venues frequented by children.

Health Program Information

To receive more information about tobacco prevention and control programs in Utah, call the Tobacco Free Resource Line at 1-877-220-3466. For information on quitting tobacco use, visit [http://www.waytoquit.org] or call the Utah Tobacco Quitline at 1-800-QUIT-NOW.
The information provided above is from the Utah Department of Health and Human Services IBIS-PH web site (http://ibis.health.state.gov). The information published on this website may be reproduced without permission. Please use the following citation: " Retrieved Thu, 28 March 2024 7:59:19 from Utah Department of Health and Human Services, Indicator-Based Information System for Public Health Web site: http://ibis.health.state.gov ".

Content updated: Tue, 20 Dec 2022 15:47:16 MST