Smoking and Premature Mortality: The Excess Burden of Tobacco

ABSTRACT: Audience: Individuals that will benefit from the information presented in this session include those working in surveillance and evaluation research (universities, health departments), and policy development and community organization/service (coalitions, state and local health departments, governmental agencies). Advocates of tobacco prevention and control efforts desiring to reduce the burden of tobacco and health professionals interested in promoting abstinence and cessation will also find this session useful. Key Points: This session will reveal how smoking is associated with morbidity and premature mortality at the county level, even after taking important socio-demographic factors into account. This evidence is supported by the analysis of data from multiple state and national databases, with the unique opportunity to examine this phenomenon at the county level. Accordingly, tobacco use presents a health and financial burden on communities above and beyond those presented by low socioeconomic status; and, not all counties within a state experience this burden equally. Educational Experience: The audience will learn these key points and how to apply them via a PowerPoint presentation and open discussion. Benefits: The audience will benefit from this session by learning how tobacco is a major cause of premature mortality, even after taking important socio-demographic factors into account. Further, they will be able to articulate how the excess burden associated with tobacco is not homogeneous within a state’s population. This powerful information can be used by health professionals, tobacco prevention and control professionals and advocates, and policy makers in the fight against tobacco---at the individual, community and state levels.