Smoking and Psychological Distress: 37.2% of U.S. Adults With Serious Distress Smoked

In 2014–2016, U.S. adults under more psychological distress were far more likely to smoke cigarettes.

• Among adults aged 18–44 and 45–64, the share who smoked rose with each level of distress.
• Among adults 65 and older, smoking was less common among those with no distress than among those with mild to moderate or serious distress.

Current cigarette smoking among adults, by level of psychological distress and age group, 2014–2016, with 95% confidence intervals. CDC.

How it was measured

Psychological distress: adults were asked how often in the past 30 days they felt:

1. so sad that nothing could cheer them up;
2. nervous;
3. restless or fidgety;
4. hopeless;
5. that everything was an effort;
6. worthless.

Answers scored 4 (all of the time) to 0 (none of the time), for a total of 0–24. 13 or more counted as serious distress; 8–12 as mild to moderate.

Current smokers: adults who had smoked at least 100 cigarettes in their lifetime and now smoked every day or some days.

Data: household interviews with a sample of the civilian, noninstitutionalized U.S. population aged 18 and older, in the National Health Interview Survey's Sample Adult component, 2014–2016.

Sources

Based on "QuickStats: Percentage of Adults Aged ≥18 Years With or Without Psychological Distress Who Were Current Smokers, by Age Group — National Health Interview Survey, United States, 2014–2016," reported by Laura A. Pratt and Cynthia Reuben, MMWR Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, volume 67, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; a work of the United States government in the public domain.