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281094
Smoking prevalence among childhood cancer survivors by region: A call for action
Methods: Using pooled data from the 1997-2010 National Health Interview Survey, we compared the smoking prevalence among CCSs (defined as those who were diagnosed with cancer before the age 21 years) (n=1,673; representing 913,702 people) with individuals with no history of cancer (n= 383,805; representing 197,374,225 people) by sex and region of residence (Northeast, Midwest, South, and West).
Results: Overall, 34.3% of CCSs were smokers compared to 21.8% of those with no cancer. The highest prevalence of smoking was in the Southern US region for CCSs (37.5%; 95% CI 32.9-42.3); and in the Midwest for the general population (24.5%; 24.0-25.0). Smoking prevalence among female survivors was double those without cancer history (38.7%; 35.01-42.48, and 19.2%; 18.90-19.43), respectively; while it was similar among males (26.2%; 21.39-31.56, and 24.7%; 24.35-24.98), respectively.
Conclusion: Smoking prevalence in CCSs is higher than the general population in the US, especially among women, and varies markedly by region. Targeting CCSs, especially females, with effective smoking cessation and prevention interventions is urgently needed.
Public health or related public policy
Public health or related research
Social and behavioral sciences
Learning Objectives:
Discuss the health consequences of smoking in childhood cancer survivors during treatment and beyond. Compare smoking prevalence of survivors with individuals without cancer history by region of residence in the US (Northeast, Midwest, South, and West) and by sex. Discuss possible reasons why regional and gender differences are present among childhood cancer survivors.
Keywords: Smoking, Cancer Prevention
Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I’m a tobacco control researcher with long standing experience in conducting smoking cessation trials. I served as project director on multiple smoking cessation interventions in the US and abroad and published papers on the topic of fielding in smoking cessation interventions in diverse settings. I worked as a Project Director for NCI funded study, “Efficacy of a Tobacco Quit Line for Childhood Cancer Survivors” in the Department of Epidemiology at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.
Any relevant financial relationships? No
I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.