Title
Cancer and Tobacco Rates by State
Author Information
Veronica Valdez
American River College, Geography 350: Data Acquisition in GIS; Fall 2012
Contact Information (6486 Linn Way, Rio Linda, CA, 95673, (916) 799-9219)
Abstract
Cigarettes and lung cancer are a problem here in the U.S. Lung cancer has the highest mortality rate. These deaths could be prevented if less people smoked cigarettes. This paper is going to show the relationship between smoking cigarettes and lung cancer.
Introduction
There have been many reports saying smoking cigarettes can cause cancer. Most of us will try to prevent from getting cancer, but some will continue to smoke even though there have been studies that smoking can cause lung cancer. This report is to show the correlation between smoking cigarettes and lung cancer.
Background
An estimated 45.3 million people, or 19.3% of all adults, in the United States smoke cigarettes.1 Cigarette smoking is more common among men (21.5%) than women (17.3%).1 Cigarette smoking is the leading cause of preventable death in the United States,2 accounting for approximately 443,000 deaths, or 1 of every 5 deaths, in the United States each year.3,4
Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death and the second most diagnosed cancer in both men and women in the United States.5 In 2008, 14% of all cancer diagnoses and 28% of all cancer deaths were due to lung cancer.5 Cigarette smoking is the number one cause of lung cancer.6 Lung cancer also can be caused by using other types of tobacco (such as pipes or cigars), breathing secondhand smoke, being exposed to substances such as asbestos or radon at home or work, and having a family history of lung cancer.6
Method
All the data was collected from the Centers for Disease Control website. By navigating the website, I was able to find tables of data for each state.
The Surgeon General comes out with a tobacco report every 2 to 4 years. The data is from 2010. The cancer data is from the North American Association of Central Cancer Registries. The newest data is from 2008. New data will probably be coming out soon.
Results
The results show there is a correlation to smoking tobacco and lung cancer incidence rates. There are many studies showing the link. As you can see in the map below, the darker states have a higher incident rate of lung cancer and that is where the highest user of tobacco smokers is located.
Here is the table showing the tobacco smokers by percent and lung cancer incidence rates.
|
State |
Tobacco Smokers (Percent) 2010 |
Lung Cancer Incidence Rates (per 100,000 people) 2008 |
|
Alabama |
22.1 |
77.8 |
|
Alaska |
21.5 |
70 |
|
Arizona |
15.9 |
51.5 |
|
Arkansas |
22.3 |
79.6 |
|
California |
14 |
49.3 |
|
Colorado |
17.6 |
50.2 |
|
Connecticut |
15.9 |
66.8 |
|
Delaware |
17.8 |
75 |
|
Florida |
17.5 |
67.4 |
|
Georgia |
19.5 |
70.7 |
|
Hawaii |
15.4 |
53.1 |
|
Idaho |
16.9 |
54.5 |
|
Illinois |
21.3 |
70.5 |
|
Indiana |
26 |
75.7 |
|
Iowa |
18.8 |
67.3 |
|
Kansas |
17.9 |
64.5 |
|
Kentucky |
25.2 |
99.3 |
|
Louisiana |
20.5 |
75.6 |
|
Maine |
18.2 |
75.5 |
|
Maryland |
14.9 |
63.8 |
|
Massachusetts |
16.1 |
69.1 |
|
Michigan |
20.5 |
68.5 |
|
Minnesota |
17.6 |
55.8 |
|
Mississippi |
22.7 |
84.2 |
|
Missouri |
25 |
75 |
|
Montana |
18.5 |
59.4 |
|
Nebraska |
18.4 |
61 |
|
Nevada |
22.2 |
68.7 |
|
New Hampshire |
17.1 |
67.2 |
|
New Jersey |
14.8 |
62.7 |
|
New Mexico |
19.4 |
43.9 |
|
New York |
16.8 |
63.3 |
|
North Carolina |
20.9 |
73.6 |
|
North Dakota |
18.1 |
53.5 |
|
Ohio |
20.1 |
70.3 |
|
Oklahoma |
24.7 |
79.7 |
|
Oregon |
16.3 |
63 |
|
Pennsylvania |
21.3 |
68.7 |
|
Rhode Island |
17.4 |
73.7 |
|
South Carolina |
20 |
66.7 |
|
South Dakota |
17.5 |
57.1 |
|
Tennessee |
23.1 |
77.7 |
|
Texas |
18.5 |
59.6 |
|
Utah |
9.3 |
23.5 |
|
Vermont |
16.8 |
64.9 |
|
Virginia |
16.4 |
66.6 |
|
Washington |
15.7 |
61.1 |
|
West Virginia |
26.5 |
87.9 |
|
Wisconsin |
19.9 |
61.6 |
|
Wyoming |
19.4 |
53.1 |
Analysis
Overall this project was a success. It does show a correlation between smoking tobacco and lung cancer rates. Utah has the lowest lung cancer incidence rate and also the lowest tobacco smoking rate. Kentucky has the second highest tobacco smokers and also the highest incidence rate. The highest rates are around the Midwest and South. I am not sure why smoking rates are higher in these regions.
There were no difficulties during this project. This was a fairly simple project, but it is powerful because it shows that there is a good chance of getting lung cancer due to smoking tobacco.
Conclusion
There will always be research done on tobacco rates and lung cancer rates. There actually has been a decline in smoking since 2005.There could be multiple reasons for this decline. People could be aware of studies like these and seeing they can get cancer if they smoke. Or the economy could be having an effect and the costs of cigarettes are rising. These studies are good and need to be made more aware in those states that have higher percentage of smokers.
References
1. Centers for Disease Control and Preventions. Vital Signs: Current Cigarettes Smoking Among Adults Aged ≥ 18 Years-United States, 2005-2010. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report
2011;60(33):1207-12 .
2. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Annual Smoking-Attributable Mortality, Years of Potential Life Lost, and Economic Costs-United States, 1995-1999. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report
2002;51(14):300-3.
3. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Annual Smoking-Attributable Mortality, Years of Potential Life Lost, and Productivity Losses-United States, 2000-2004. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report
2008;57(45):1226-8.
4. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The Health Consequences of Smoking: A Report of the Surgeon General. Atlanta: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Office on Smoking and Health, 2004.
5. U.S. Cancer Statistics Working Group. United States Cancer Statistics: 1999-2008 Incidence and Mortality Web-based Report. Atlanta(GA): Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and National Cancer Institute; 2012. Available at:
6. Alberg AJ, Ford FG, Samer JM. Epidemiology of lung cancer; ACCP evidence-based clinical practice guidelines (2nd edition). Chest 2007; 132(3 Suppl):29S-55S.