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The Contribution of Smoking to Black-White Differences in U.S. Mortality

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  • Jessica Ho
  • Irma Elo

Abstract

Smoking has significantly impacted American mortality and remains a major cause of morbidity and mortality. No previous study has systematically examined the contribution of smoking-attributable deaths to mortality trends among blacks or to black-white mortality differences at older ages over time in the United States. In this article, we employ multiple methods and data sources to provide a comprehensive assessment of this contribution. We find that smoking has contributed to the black-white gap in life expectancy at age 50 for males, accounting for 20 % to 48 % of the gap between 1980 and 2005, but not for females. The fraction of deaths attributable to smoking at ages above 50 is greater for black males than for white males; and among men, current smoking status explains about 20 % of the black excess relative risk in all-cause mortality at ages above 50 without adjustment for socioeconomic characteristics. These findings advance our understanding of the contribution of smoking to contemporary mortality trends and differences and reinforce the need for interventions that better address the needs of all groups. Copyright Population Association of America 2013

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  • Jessica Ho & Irma Elo, 2013. "The Contribution of Smoking to Black-White Differences in U.S. Mortality," Demography, Springer;Population Association of America (PAA), vol. 50(2), pages 545-568, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:demogr:v:50:y:2013:i:2:p:545-568
    DOI: 10.1007/s13524-012-0159-z
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    2. Mehta, Neil & Preston, Samuel, 2016. "Are major behavioral and sociodemographic risk factors for mortality additive or multiplicative in their effects?," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 154(C), pages 93-99.
    3. Ryan K. Masters, 2018. "Economic Conditions in Early Life and Circulatory Disease Mortality," Population and Development Review, The Population Council, Inc., vol. 44(3), pages 519-553, September.
    4. Joseph T. Lariscy & Robert A. Hummer & Richard G. Rogers, 2018. "Cigarette Smoking and All-Cause and Cause-Specific Adult Mortality in the United States," Demography, Springer;Population Association of America (PAA), vol. 55(5), pages 1855-1885, October.
    5. Haeny, Angela M. & Gibbons, Frederick X. & Fleischli, Mary E. & Gerrard, Meg & Lopez, Joel & Beach, Steven R.H., 2023. "Racial centrality mediates the association between adolescent racial discrimination and adult cigarette smoking outcomes among Black Americans," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 316(C).
    6. David Adzrago & Melissa B. Harrell & Kayo Fujimoto & Antwan Jones & J. Michael Wilkerson, 2023. "Association between E-Cigarette Use Behaviors and Anxiety/Depression among Black/African American Adults Based on Sexual Identity," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(3), pages 1-14, January.
    7. Alexander, Adam C. & Nollen, Nicole L. & Ahluwalia, Jasjit S. & Hébert, Emily T. & Businelle, Michael S. & Kendzor, Darla E., 2019. "Darker skin color is associated with a lower likelihood of smoking cessation among males but not females," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 240(C).
    8. Andrasfay, Theresa & Goldman, Noreen, 2020. "Physical functioning and survival: Is the link weaker among Latino and black older adults?," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 255(C).
    9. Baig, Sabeeh A. & Pepper, Jessica K. & Morgan, Jennifer C. & Brewer, Noel T., 2017. "Social identity and support for counteracting tobacco company marketing that targets vulnerable populations," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 182(C), pages 136-141.
    10. Masters, Ryan K. & Link, Bruce G. & Phelan, Jo C., 2015. "Trends in education gradients of ‘preventable’ mortality: A test of fundamental cause theory," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 127(C), pages 19-28.
    11. Ameed Saabneh, 2015. "Ethnic Health Inequalities in Unequal Societies: Morbidity Gaps Between Palestinians and Jews in Israel," European Journal of Population, Springer;European Association for Population Studies, vol. 31(4), pages 445-466, October.

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