2008 Woodie Awards
Smoking common in disabled population
by Amy Prazniak
Issue date: 10/12/07 Section: News
According to a study conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, smoking is more prevalent among people with disabilities than among people who do not have disabilities.
The 2004 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System conducted by the CDC reported smoking prevalence was approximately 50 percent higher among people with disabilities than those without disabilities. Thirty-nine percent of people with disabilities in Delaware smoke - the highest percentage in the nation.
Fred Gatto, director of the Health Promotion Bureau for the Department of Public Health, said he is not sure why the percentage of Delawarean smokers with disabilities is so high, because the state is known for its smoking-prevention programs.
"Delaware is recognized as a leader in tobacco-prevention efforts," Gatto said. "We're getting our smoking rates down and they have been going down the past couple years."
He said Delaware's smoking rates have been decreasing due to the state's tobacco-cessation programs such as the Delaware QuitLine and QuitNet, a hotline and Web site offering support to tobacco users. Additionally, he said the Delaware Clean Air Act, legislation passed approximately five years ago, has helped decrease smoking rates in Delaware.
Gatto said he does not know why people with disabilities would smoke more - as they are not specifically targeted by tobacco companies like other groups of people usually are.
"It's really hard to put your finger on it," he said. "Young adults are being targeted by messages to try and smoke. Different people are targeted in different ways. I'm not really sure if there's anything that's shown that people with disabilities are being targeted."
While he recognized there is no particular smoking marketing aimed towards people with disabilities, Gatto said he understands why the rate would be on the high side.
"I've heard different things, like people with disabilities generally are lower income and the lower the person's income, the higher the smoking rates are," he said. "Another factor could be that smoking leads to a lot of chronic diseases, so people could become disabled because of smoking."
The 2004 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System conducted by the CDC reported smoking prevalence was approximately 50 percent higher among people with disabilities than those without disabilities. Thirty-nine percent of people with disabilities in Delaware smoke - the highest percentage in the nation.
Fred Gatto, director of the Health Promotion Bureau for the Department of Public Health, said he is not sure why the percentage of Delawarean smokers with disabilities is so high, because the state is known for its smoking-prevention programs.
"Delaware is recognized as a leader in tobacco-prevention efforts," Gatto said. "We're getting our smoking rates down and they have been going down the past couple years."
He said Delaware's smoking rates have been decreasing due to the state's tobacco-cessation programs such as the Delaware QuitLine and QuitNet, a hotline and Web site offering support to tobacco users. Additionally, he said the Delaware Clean Air Act, legislation passed approximately five years ago, has helped decrease smoking rates in Delaware.
Gatto said he does not know why people with disabilities would smoke more - as they are not specifically targeted by tobacco companies like other groups of people usually are.
"It's really hard to put your finger on it," he said. "Young adults are being targeted by messages to try and smoke. Different people are targeted in different ways. I'm not really sure if there's anything that's shown that people with disabilities are being targeted."
While he recognized there is no particular smoking marketing aimed towards people with disabilities, Gatto said he understands why the rate would be on the high side.
"I've heard different things, like people with disabilities generally are lower income and the lower the person's income, the higher the smoking rates are," he said. "Another factor could be that smoking leads to a lot of chronic diseases, so people could become disabled because of smoking."
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