smoking and inequalities

Tobacco use is a major contributor to, and a driver of, health inequalities across Wales, and as a consequence represents one of the primary reasons why Wales is struggling to achieve a healthy population.

Download: Smoking and Inequalities Briefing Paper

Smoking rates among the socio-economically deprived are significantly higher compared to the population average. These higher smoking rates are a key factor behind worst health outcomes for these sub-groups. The gap between smoking prevalence amongst the most deprived compared to the least deprived has not fallen below 18% for the past decade.

Smoking prevalence rates among the less well-off population are significantly greater than those of the more affluent population. There is a well-evidenced link between socio-economic status and smoking prevalence. 26% of adults from the most deprived areas of Wales smoke compared to 11% among the least deprived adults. ²

The link between poverty and tobacco use can be seen by the fact that a higher percentage of poorer smoker’s household income is spent on tobacco.

There are substantial financial gains that can be made for a young family or a single parent through giving up smoking.

ASH research shows that in the UK 1.7 million households which include a smoker are currently in poverty but around 28% (over half a million) could be lifted out of poverty if they stopped smoking. This means 365,000 fewer children could be living below the poverty line.

It is important to identify the problems faced by smokers in less financially rich populations, such as:

The belief that smoking is more common within the general population than it actually is, making it more socially acceptable for less wealthy smokers to continue to smoke and giving them less encouragement to quit. They are also more likely to disengage from smoking cessation programs⁷

The age someone starts smoking within a poorer population is much lower than those who are better off – the longer a person has been addicted to nicotine, the harder it is for them to quit

They are more likely to use smoking as a coping mechanism for difficult life circumstances, for example stress, pregnancy, unemployment, redundancy and mental health issues.

Gender

Data collected in Great Britain since 1974 has shown that the percentage of males who smoke is consistently higher than that of females. However, since 1990 the gender gap has decreased significantly, with the overall smoking prevalence across both genders decreasing. In 1974, 51% of men and 41% women smoked in Great Britain, compared to 20% of men and 17% of women smoking in Great Britain in 2014. Currently 20% of men and 17% of women smoke in Wales (2016/2017 figures)².

NB: Since 2000 data have been weighted. Since 2012 figures are from the Opinions & Lifestyle Survey³; previous data are from the General Household / General Lifestyle Surveys⁴.