This Reuters News story summarizes the most recent annual healthcare survey conducted by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. For those working with addictions, these findings contain no surprises; they do, however, provide yet more evidence of noncompliance persisting in the face of severe consequences, including death, even when the smokers know the risks.
The results, from survey data collected in 2003, include the following:
- 43% of subjects with emphysema reported that they continued to smoke
- 22% of those with asthma reported that they continued to smoke
- 21 percent of stroke victims reported that they continued to smoke
- 20 percent of those with cardiovascular problems reported that they continued to smoke
- Almost 50% of those who smoked in 2003 had a routine medical check-up within the previous year (compared with 61% of nonsmokers). Of the smokes who had a check-up, 63% were advised to stop smoking.
