Socioeconomic Differences in Cigarette Smoking Among Sociodemographic Groups

Socioeconomic Differences in Cigarette Smoking Among Sociodemographic Groups

RESEARCH BRIEF — Volume 16 — June 13, 2019

Bridgette E. Garrett, PhD1; Brandi N. Martell, MPH1; Ralph S. Caraballo, PhD, MPH1; Brian A. King, PhD, MPH1 (View author affiliations)

Suggested citation for this article: Garrett BE, Martell BN, Caraballo RS, King BA. Socioeconomic Differences in Cigarette Smoking Among Sociodemographic Groups. Prev Chronic Dis 2019;16:180553. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5888/pcd16.180553external icon.

PEER REVIEWED

On This Page

• Abstract
• Objective
• Methods
• Results
• Discussion
• Acknowledgments
• Author Information
• References
• Tables

Summary

What is already known about this topic?

Socioeconomic disparities in cigarette smoking continue to exist despite progress in reducing cigarette smoking in the general population and among certain demographic groups.

What is added by this report?

Few studies have assessed the extent to which cigarette smoking differs among sociodemographic groups relative to their socioeconomic status. Findings from this report demonstrate that US adults with low socioeconomic status generally have high cigarette smoking prevalence irrespective of the sociodemographic characteristics of the population.

What are the implications for public health practice?

Efforts to reach low socioeconomic smokers with proven tobacco control strategies could reduce disparities in cigarette smoking and smoking-related disease and death.

Abstract

We examined variations in cigarette smoking by socioeconomic status (education and poverty status) in relation to population sociodemographic characteristics (age, race/ethnicity, region and sex). We analyzed data from a nationally representative sample of US adults by using combined data from the National Survey on Drug Use and Health (2011–2014). Low socioeconomic status was generally associated with increased cigarette smoking prevalence by age, race/ethnicity, and region, irrespective of sex. The only exceptions were for Asian and Hispanic women, where low educational attainment was not associated with a high prevalence of cigarette smoking, and among Hispanic men and Asian women, where there was no association between poverty status and smoking. Efforts to reach smokers of low socioeconomic status by using proven tobacco control strategies could reduce disparities in cigarette smoking and smoking-related disease and death