Smokers in the United States are more likely to be diagnosed with disabilities, including those related to cognitive, visual, and motor impairments. This is reported by UNN referring to The Washington Post.
Details
According to scientists, this is the first study to "assess the prevalence and severity of disability by smoking status and selected demographic characteristics."
The study is published in the journal Tobacco Control and is based on data from the National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) for 2019–2023, which covered approximately 150,000 people.
According to the results, "14.1% of adults who currently smoked had a disability," and overall, "estimates for any disability were significantly higher for current or former adult smokers."
The most common were visual, hearing, mobility, and cognitive impairments.
The prevalence of these types of disabilities was 2–2.4 times higher among those who currently smoke
Researchers also found gender differences.
Approximately 16.5% of women who smoke and 12.1% of men who smoke have a disability
Scientists have suggested that ethnic data also play a role in the statistics of smokers' diseases.
19% of non-Hispanic smokers had a disability compared to 11% of Hispanic smokers
Reference
National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) is a key annual survey in the United States that examines the health status of the population, habits, and socio-demographic characteristics.
Tobacco Control is a leading scientific journal dedicated to tobacco control and the impact of smoking on health.