2 August 2007
Commenting on the publication today of the full details of the 2005/2006 Scottish Household survey which shows that smoking remains more prevalent in the most deprived areas of Scotland at 41% with a 13% rate in the least deprived areas, and that people in deprived areas are far less likely to report good health, Chief Executive of ASH Scotland, Maureen Moore OBE said:
“The 2005/2006 Scottish Household Survey shows that smoking is much more prevalent in the most deprived areas of Scotland standing at 41% compared to 13% in the least deprived areas and 25% across Scotland. Whilst we warmly welcome the 5% drop in overall smoking since 1999 and lower rates of smoking in some areas, it is clear that more needs to be done to reach adults in deprived areas.
The Scottish Household Survey figures are similar to those of the recently published Tobacco Atlas which showed wide variances across Scotland in smoking rates with areas of Glasgow at 40% with other areas of Scotland at half of that at 20%. It is not as easy as an east/west, north/south, or rural/urban divide. Both the lowest and highest rates of smoking are in the west of Scotland and urban areas can have lower rates than rural. What we are seeing is a growing divide in the rates of smoking between the deprived and affluent areas of Scotland.
Whilst some parts of Scotland are benefiting from reduced smoking rates and getting the message about the harmful effects of smoking more work must be done to target harder-to-reach audiences. We must learn from current projects that are doing just that and ensure poorer communities are given all possible support in ensuring they have access to cessation advice and services as well as to health messages about quitting smoking.Smoking is Scotland’s biggest preventable killer and it’s most prevalent in poorer communities that already have a lot of life challenges to face. It’s important our policy and law makers realise that reducing smoking is part of a solution to helping poorer areas as it will have a direct effect on improving health and finances.
The link between smoking and social class is well known but the Household Survey results also show the link between poverty and health with only 41% of people in the most deprived area saying they have good health compared to 64% in the least deprived and 54% across Scotland, and 23% reporting their health as not good in the most deprived area compared to just 8% in the least deprived.
Those who smoke are also shown to be in poorer health with 46% of smokers believing their health to be good compared to 56% of non-smokers and 19% of smokers believing their health to be not good compared to 12% of non-smokers.
This gap in smoking rates between Scotland’s most affluent and poorest communities points to a growing health inequalities gap in Scotland that must be tackled. Scotland has made much progress in tackling tobacco and the damage to health it causes, however we want the benefits of this to be felt throughout all of Scotland’s communities”.
ENDS
For further information please contact: Jeanette Campbell, Communications Officer on 0131 220 9466
Notes for editors:
1. ASH Scotland is the leading voluntary organisation campaigning for effective tobacco control measures.
2. The 2005/2006 Scottish Household Survey results show:
Smoking
Most deprived areas 41%
Least deprived areas 13%
Scotland 25%
Perception of Health - Good health
Most deprived areas 41%
Least deprived areas 64%
Scotland 53%
Perception of Health - Not good health
Most deprived areas 23%
Least deprived areas 8%
Scotland 14%
Perception of Health by smoking status – Good health
Smokers 46%
Non smokers 56%
Scotland 53%
Perception of Health by smoking status – Not good health
Smokers 19%
Non smokers 12%
Scotland 14%
3. The 2005/2006 Scottish Household Survey provides detailed information about people living in Scotland and is a continuous, multi-purpose survey which started in February 1999.
4. 24% (13,473 deaths) of all deaths in Scotland in 2004 were attributable to smoking with 89.5% of all lung cancer deaths attributable to smoking. The NHS Greater Glasgow & Clyde area has the highest rates of deaths attributable to smoking for both men and women with 34% of all deaths in the 35-69 age group due to smoking. For further information on smoking-related harm in Scotland view 'An atlas of smoking in Scotland'
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