What the study found
Cigarette smoking prevalence among U.S. adults declined from 14.0% in 2019 to 10.8% in 2023. The highest smoking rates were consistently seen among adults unable to work because of health or disability.
Why the authors say this matters
The authors conclude that the decline reflects progress in tobacco control, but they also say disparities persist, especially for people unable to work for health reasons. The study suggests that targeted cessation support is needed for vulnerable groups and that future research should examine remote work and digital interventions.
What the researchers tested
The researchers analyzed data from the 2019–2023 National Health Interview Survey, a U.S. survey of adults, using a sample of 146,184 adults who were eligible based on current smoker status. They grouped employment status into seven categories: employed, unemployed, retired, unable to work, homemaker, student, or other, and calculated weighted annual prevalence estimates with 95% confidence intervals.
What worked and what didn't
Smoking prevalence declined among several groups: from 29.2% to 25.4% among adults unable to work, from 26.6% to 15.4% among unemployed adults, and from 13.8% to 10.3% among employed adults. Retired adults stayed at about 8.8% across the study period.
What to keep in mind
The abstract does not describe specific study limitations. The summary is limited to smoking prevalence patterns by employment status in the United States from 2019 to 2023.
Key points
- Smoking prevalence among U.S. adults fell from 14.0% in 2019 to 10.8% in 2023.
- Adults unable to work because of health or disability had the highest smoking prevalence throughout the period.
- Smoking declined from 26.6% to 15.4% among unemployed adults and from 13.8% to 10.3% among employed adults.
- Retired adults had a stable smoking prevalence of about 8.8%.
- The authors say disparities persist and targeted cessation support is needed for vulnerable groups.
Disclosure
- Research title:
- U.S. smoking declined from 2019 to 2023
- Authors:
- Mirsada Serdarevic, Aro N. Choi, David Gimeno Ruiz de Porras, Tracey E. Barnett
- Institutions:
- The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio
- Publication date:
- 2026-03-30
- OpenAlex record:
- View
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