Gender Differences in Smoking Among U.S. Working Adults

BackgroundCigarette smoking remains a leading cause of morbidity and mortality. Although gender differences in cigarette smoking in the U.S. population have been documented, information on these differences among working adults is limited.PurposeTo describe the current smoking prevalence by gender among working U.S. adults and examine gender differences in smoking by occupation.MethodsThe 2004-2011 National Health Interview Survey data for adults aged ≥18 years that were working in the week prior to the interview (N=132,215) were analyzed in 2013. Current cigarette smokers were those who smoked at least 100 cigarettes in their lifetime and currently smoke every day or some days.ResultsDuring 2004-2011, an estimated 22.8% of men workers and 18.3% of women workers were current smokers. Of the current smokers, women workers had higher odds of being an everyday smoker (prevalence OR [POR]=1.17, 95% CI=1.09, 1.26); having poor self-rated emotional health (POR=1.28, 95% CI=1.15, 1.41); and having chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (POR=2.45, 95% CI=2.14, 2.80), heart disease (POR=1.27, 95% CI=1.12, 1.45), and current asthma (POR=2.21, 95% CI=1.96, 2.49) compared with men workers. Women in “supervisors, construction, and extraction” (38.9%) occupations and men in “extraction” (40.5%) occupations had the highest smoking prevalence.ConclusionAmong working adults, women had lower prevalence of smoking than men, yet women who smoke were more likely than men to have adverse health outcomes, including self-rated poorer physical and emotional health.