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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

 

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Surveillance
  1. How does CDC define a smoking-attributable death?

  2. Where can I find data on tobacco-related morbidity and mortality?

  3. How prevalent is tobacco use in the United States?

  4. How can I find historical data on tobacco use?



  1. How does CDC define a smoking-attributable death?
    For adults, CDC calculates smoking-attributable fractions (SAFs) for deaths from 19 smoking-related diseases. The SAFs are determined by using gender-specific smoking prevalence and data on the relative risks for death for current and former smokers for specific health conditions. Infant mortality SAFs are calculated using estimates of maternal smoking prevalence and relative risk for death for four perinatal conditions caused by smoking.

    Additional details on CDC’s SAM calculation methods and data sources are available under Methodology on the Web-based application of the Smoking-Attributable Morbidity, Mortality, and Economic Costs (SAMMEC) software, which is available on the Smoking & Tobacco Use Web site.


    Resources:

    Title: Annual Smoking-Attributable Mortality, Years of Potential Life Lost, and Productivity Losses—United States, 1997–2001
    Source: CDC
    http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm5425a1.htm

    CDC Smoking & Tobacco Use Web Site: Smoking-Attributable Morbidity, Mortality, and Economic Costs (SAMMEC)/Methodology
    http://apps.nccd.cdc.gov/sammec/methodology.asp

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  2. Where can I find data on tobacco-related morbidity and mortality?
    The Smoking-Attributable Mortality, Morbidity, and Economic Costs (SAMMEC) application, located on the Smoking And Tobacco Use Web site, estimates the number of premature deaths and the years of potential life lost (YPLL) as a result of smoking among adults aged 35 years and older. The SAMMEC application also estimates premature death and YPLL among infants as a result of maternal cigarette smoking.

    Currently, the "Reports" feature in the SAMMEC application provides the following data (United States-1997-2001 and 2000-2004) by disease:
    - Average annual smoking-attributable mortality
    - Average annual age-adjusted smoking-attributable mortality rate per 100,000

    SAMMEC also can be used to estimate the disease impact of smoking in individual states and in other large populations. Users can edit all data elements except the relative risks of death from smoking.

    The CDC Smoking & Tobacco Use Web site also offers data, research, and reports on tobacco use-related morbidity and mortality in the United States.


    Resources:

    CDC Smoking & Tobacco Use Web Site: SAMMEC
    http://apps.nccd.cdc.gov/sammec

    CDC Smoking & Tobacco Use Web Site: Health Effects
    http://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/data_statistics/by_topic/healtheffects.htm

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  3. How prevalent is tobacco use in the United States?
    Data from state and national surveys consistently show that although tobacco use in the United States has declined substantially since the mid-1990s, it still far exceeds the 2010 national objectives. In 2007, an estimated 19.8% of adults and 20.0% of high school students were current smokers.

    Resources:

    CDC Smoking & Tobacco Use Web Site: Adult Data
    http://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/data_statistics/by_topic/adultdata.htm

    CDC Smoking & Tobacco Use Web Site: Youth and Young
    http://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/data_statistics/by_topic/youthdata.htm

    CDC Smoking & Tobacco Use Web Site: State Tobacco Activities Tracking and Evaluation (STATE) System
    http://apps.nccd.cdc.gov/statesystem/

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  4. How can I find historical data on tobacco use?
    A 1955 Current Population Survey (CPS) was the first nationally representative survey on smoking prevalence.
    These data are presented in Women and Smoking: A Report of the Surgeon General." (See figure 2.1 on page 27.)

    The Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report article, "Surveillance for Selected Tobacco-Use Behaviors—United States, 1900-1994," presents yearly total and per capital consumption.

    The National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) provides data on smoking prevalence since 1965.

    Individuals who are addressing tobacco use in previous decades also may want to refer to the text and references in the Surgeon General's reports addressing smoking and tobacco use.

    Also, the National Institute on Drug Abuse provides data on cigarette use among American secondary school students from the mid-1970s forward. These data are available in Monitoring the Future: National Survey Results on Drug Use, 1975 through 2004.


    Resources:

    Title: Surveillance for Selected Tobacco-Use Behaviors—United States, 1900-1994
    Source: CDC
    http://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/research_data/survey/ss4303.pdf

    Title: Smoking Prevalence Among U.S. Adults 1955-2004
    Source: CDC
    http://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/data_statistics/Factsheets/adult_smoking_prev.htm

    CDC Smoking & Tobacco Use Web Site: Surgeon General's Reports on Smoking and Tobacco Use
    http://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/data_statistics/sgr/index.htm

    Title: Monitoring the Future - National Survey Results on Drug Use, 1975-2005. Volumes I & II
    Source: National Institute on Drug Abuse
    http://www.monitoringthefuture.org/pubs.html#monographs




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