September 24, 2009 |
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An estimated 33.6 million full-time employees aged 18 to 64 (28.4 percent of persons in that category) smoked cigarettes in the past month (Table 1). Although the prevalence of past month cigarette use among adults aged 18 to 64 was higher among the unemployed (45.4 percent) than among persons who were employed part or full time or who had an employment status of "Other" (26.9, 28.4, and 30.4 percent, respectively), because full-time workers constitute about two thirds of the population aged 18 to 64 (or 118 million persons), the majority of smokers are employed full time. Specifically, among those aged 18 to 64, 61.6 percent of past month cigarette users were employed full time.
Employment Status | Number (in 1,000s) | Percent |
---|---|---|
Total | 54,521 | 29.3% |
Current Employment, Full Time | 33,609 | 28.4% |
Current Employment, Part Time | 6,827 | 26.9% |
Current Employment, Unemployed | 3,449 | 45.4% |
Current Employment, Other* | 10,635 | 30.4% |
* Includes retired persons, disabled persons, homemakers, students, or other persons not in the labor force |
Source: 2006 to 2008 SAMHSA National Surveys on Drug Use and Health (NSDUHs). |
In 22 major occupational categories, the highest rates of past month cigarette use among full-time workers aged 18 to 64 were found in the food preparation and serving-related occupations (44.7 percent) and the construction and extraction occupations (42.9 percent) (Figure 1). The occupational categories with the lowest rates were the education, training, and library occupations (12.3 percent) and the life, physical, and social science occupations (15.4 percent)
Occupation | Percent |
---|---|
Food Preparation and Serving Related | 44.7% |
Construction and Extraction | 42.9% |
Transportation and Moving | 39.3% |
Production | 36.9% |
Installation, Maintenance, and Repair | 36.9% |
Building and Grounds Cleaning and Maintenance | 31.7% |
Farming, Fishing, and Forestry | 31.6% |
Sales and Related | 30.3% |
Office and Administrative Support | 28.0% |
Personal Care and Service | 28.0% |
Entertainment Attendants and Related Workers | 24.5% |
Protective Service | 24.1% |
Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media | 23.6% |
Healthcare Practitioners and Technical | 22.7% |
Management | 22.6% |
Financial | 18.3% |
Legal | 18.1% |
Mathematical and Computer Scientists | 17.9% |
Engineering, Architecture, and Surveyors | 17.0% |
Community and Social Service | 16.9% |
Life, Physical, and Social Science | 15.4% |
Education, Training, and Library | 12.3% |
*Occupations were coded using the 2000 Standard Occupational Classification system released by the U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics |
Source: 2006 to 2008 SAMHSA National Surveys on Drug Use and Health (NSDUHs). |
Among full-time workers aged 18 to 64, males were more likely than females to have smoked cigarettes in the past month (30.4 vs. 25.7 percent). The prevalence of past month smoking among those employed full time was significantly higher among females than males in the community and social services occupations (20.7 vs. 11.5 percent), the healthcare practitioners and technical occupations (25.0 vs. 15.0 percent), and the sales and related occupations (33.8 vs. 27.6 percent) (Table 2). Conversely, the prevalence of past month smoking was significantly higher among males than females employed full time in the mathematical and computer scientist occupations (19.4 vs. 13.5 percent); the office and administrative support occupations (30.8 vs. 26.9 percent); the installation, maintenance, and repair occupations (37.4 vs. 24.8 percent); and the production occupations (39.4 vs. 29.7 percent).
Occupational Category | Male | Female | Aged 18 to 25 |
Aged 26 to 34 |
Aged 35 to 49 |
Aged 50 to 64 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Total | 30.4% | 25.7% | 40.1% | 33.9% | 26.7% | 20.7% |
Food Preparation and Serving Related | 46.9% | 42.7% | 50.2% | 48.6% | 40.6% | 35.0% |
Construction and Extraction | 43.0% | ** | 51.6% | 47.0% | 42.5% | 29.3% |
Transportation and Moving | 39.8% | 45.8% | 46.6% | 47.0% | 35.3% | 35.1% |
Production | 39.4% | 29.7% | 46.5% | 43.5% | 36.1% | 29.5% |
Installation, Maintenance, and Repair | 37.4% | 24.8% | 50.3% | 44.0% | 34.4% | 28.9% |
Building and Grounds Cleaning and Maintenance | 33.8% | 28.4% | 39.6% | 33.2% | 30.3% | 28.9% |
Farming, Fishing, and Forestry | 32.8% | ** | 30.9% | ** | 42.3% | ** |
Sales and Related | 27.6% | 33.8% | 38.6% | 36.9% | 27.4% | 23.6% |
Office and Administrative Support | 30.8% | 26.9% | 36.6% | 30.8% | 28.8% | 20.5% |
Personal Care and Service | 30.1% | 27.6% | 40.1% | 30.2% | 28.1% | 16.0% |
Entertainment Attendants and Related Workers | ** | 25.5% | 39.2% | ** | ** | ** |
Protective Service | 23.2% | 28.1% | 32.8% | 26.0% | 18.8% | 25.6% |
Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media | 23.9% | 23.2% | 35.3% | 27.5% | 22.8% | 14.3% |
Healthcare Practitioners and Technical | 15.0% | 25.0% | 35.0% | 27.5% | 21.5% | 15.9% |
Management | 22.0% | 23.6% | 36.1% | 31.9% | 21.6% | 16.3% |
Financial | 16.0% | 20.6% | 25.1% | 23.1% | 15.4% | 16.1% |
Legal | 18.2% | 18.0% | 35.9% | 28.5% | 19.0% | 8.7% |
Mathematical and Computer Scientists | 19.4% | 13.5% | 25.3% | 21.7% | 15.1% | 15.3% |
Engineering, Architecture, and Surveyors | 16.1% | 24.2% | 23.6% | 25.3% | 17.6% | 10.1% |
Community and Social Service | 11.5% | 20.7% | 26.7% | 23.8% | 18.2% | 8.2% |
Life, Physical, and Social Science | 17.9% | 11.8% | 24.5% | 18.3% | 8.9% | ** |
Education, Training, and Library | 13.4% | 11.9% | 20.9% | 19.4% | 9.0% | 9.1% |
*Occupations were coded using the 2000 Standard Occupational Classification system released by the U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics. |
**Data are suppressed due to low precision |
Source: 2006 to 2008 SAMHSA National Surveys on Drug Use and Health (NSDUHs). |
The prevalence of past month cigarette use among full-time workers decreased with age, with 40.1 percent of those aged 18 to 25, 33.9 percent of those aged 26 to 34, 26.7 percent of those aged 35 to 49, and 20.7 percent of those aged 50 to 64 indicating past month use. Among those aged 18 to 25, past month smoking was reported by half of those persons in the construction and extraction occupations (51.6 percent); the installation, maintenance, and repair occupations (50.3 percent); and the food preparation and serving-related occupations (50.2 percent).
The prevalence of past month smoking among full-time workers aged 18 to 64 varied considerably by occupation, with the highest rates found among those in the food preparation and serving-related occupations and the construction and extraction occupations and the lowest rates found among those in the education, training, and library occupations and the life, physical, and social science occupations. Because most smokers aged 18 to 64 are employed full time, the workplace represents an ideal location for programs to educate them about the health risks of smoking and programs to promote smoking cessation. These data identify occupational groups—and demographic subgroups within occupations—with high rates of smoking and may help policymakers and intervention specialists to develop, refine, and target cessation efforts.
The National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) is an annual survey sponsored by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). The 2006 to 2008 data used in this report are based on information obtained from 73,887 persons aged 18 to 64 who were employed full time. The survey collects data by administering questionnaires to a representative sample of the population through face-to-face interviews at their place of residence. The NSDUH Report is prepared by the Office of Applied Studies (OAS), SAMHSA, and by RTI International in Research Triangle Park, North Carolina. (RTI International is a trade name of Research Triangle Institute.) Information on the most recent NSDUH is available in the following publication: Office of Applied Studies. (2009). Results from the 2008 National Survey on Drug Use and Health: National findings (DHHS Publication No. SMA 09-4434, NSDUH Series H-36). Rockville, MD: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. Also available online: http://oas.samhsa.gov. |
The NSDUH Report is published periodically by the Office of Applied Studies, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). All material appearing in this report is in the public domain and may be reproduced or copied without permission from SAMHSA. Additional copies of this report or other reports from the Office of Applied Studies are available online: http://oas.samhsa.gov. Citation of the source is appreciated. For questions about this report, please e-mail: shortreports@samhsa.hhs.gov.
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SAMHSA, an agency in the Department of Health and Human Services, is the Federal Government's lead agency for improving the quality and availability of substance abuse prevention, addiction treatment, and mental health services in the United States.
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