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Continual efforts needed to further reduce smoking prevalence, mortality rates in the United States
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Progress has been made during the last 40 years in lowering the smoking prevalence among people aged 35 years and older in the United States. However, comprehensive, evidence-based approaches to further prevent smoking initiation are needed, according to data published in a recent Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.
Researchers from the National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion of the CDC used the Smoking-Attributable Mortality, Morbidity and Economic Costs system to estimate state-specific smoking-attributable mortality rates and the years of potential life lost from smoking among people aged 35 years and older in the United States during 2000 to 2004.
Data indicated that the state-specific median estimate of the average annual number of smoking-attributable deaths during 2000 to 2004 was 5,534 (range: 492 in Alaska to 36,687 in California). The estimate for smoking-attributable mortality among men ranged from 314 in Alaska to 21,407 in California compared with 178 women in Alaska to 15,280 women in California.
Results further indicated that the estimate for average annual years of potential life lost ranged from 7,762 in Alaska to 481,529 in California. The years of potential life lost estimates for men ranged from 4,586 in Alaska to 288,823 in California compared with 3,176 women in Alaska to 192,706 women in California.
When the average annual smoking-attributable mortality rates per 100,000 population were compared for 2000 to 2004 vs. 1996 to 1999, data indicated a median rate of 288.1 during 1996 to 1999 and a rate of 263.3 during 2000 to 2004.
In addition, average annual smoking-attributable mortality rates decreased during 2000 to 2004 among men for all states except Oklahoma. However, the rate increased among women in various states including Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Georgia and Indiana.
“Fully implementing effective state comprehensive tobacco control programs, as recommended by the CDC, can further reduce smoking prevalence and deaths caused by cigarette smoking in all states and increase life expectancy,” the researchers wrote.
MMWR.2009;58:29-33.