Population Health
Adult Smoking - Overall Statistics for Connecticut
Cigarette smoking is the leading cause of preventable disease, disability and death in the United States. Tracking statewide smoking rates was one of the population health measures required as part of the SIM Test grant. The plan for improving population health utilized and built upon the Connecticut Department of Public Health’s State Health Assessment, State Health Improvement Plan (Healthy Connecticut 2020) and the Chronic Disease Prevention Plan.
The SIM Data Dashboard used BRFSS data and defined adult smoking as respondents (18+) who reported they currently smoke cigarettes every day or some days.
In the years prior to the CT SIM implementation, there was a steady decline in the percentage of adults who smoked. In 2013, 15.5% of adults smoked, and by 2015 the percentage decreased to 13.5%. Since the implementation of CT SIM, the downward trend has continued from 13.3% in 2016 to 12.2% in 2018, which is 1.0% lower than the 2018 target of 13.2%.
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