CDC Press Release: People with Disabilities Smoke More Than Rest of Population

The CDC and The Department of Health and Human Services has issued a Press Release October 4 which states that the percentage of people with disabilities who smoke is nearly 50% higher than the general population. The highest rate of smokers with disabilities is in Delaware and the lowest is in Puerto Rico. This study is timely since October is Disability Awareness Month .

The study states that doctors advised about 70% of their patients with disabilities to stop smoking, but only told approximately 40% about the cessation programs available. The press release goes on to state the many benefits of successfully using one of the cessation programs: lower risk of dying prematurely and lower risk of lung and other types of cancer. The study states that the benefit is greater for those who quit smoking at an earlier age, but is beneficial at any age and that the risk for developing cancer is less with each year after the person ceases to smoke. Approximately 10 % of those who smoke have a chronic related disease, such as heart disease or emphysema.

One of the areas the study focuses on is the disparity between smokers with a disability and and smokers who do not have a disability stating that
"people with disabilities are less likely than people without disabilities to receive preventive health care and therefore are more subject to illness and disease." The study took into account the factors which sometimes keep a person with a disability from getting that preventive care; they are more likely to face barriers in areas such as traveling to a doctor's appointments. The 2005 Surgeon General's Call to Improve the Health and Wellness of Persons with Disabilities stated that providers paid too little attention to the other health needs of individuals who have disabilities..According to the press release, there are about 50 million people in the United States who have a disability. The director of the CDC's National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities, Dr. Edwin Trevathan was quoted saying, "The release of these findings during Disability Awareness Month reminds us that disparities persist in the health and health care of people with disabilities."

The data for this study was collected from the 2004 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) from all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

For assistance in quitting smoking, call 1-800-QUIT-NOW (1-800-784-8669) (TTY 1-800-332-8615) or visit www.smokefree.gov . Callers are automatically routed to their state's toll-free number. The assistance is available for the disabled and for those who are not disabled..