Tobacco Use in Bermuda

Selected Results from STEPS to a Well Bermuda 2014

Common preventable risk factors underlie most chronic diseases. The basis of chronic disease prevention is the
identification of major common risk factors and their prevention and control, as the risk factors of today are the
diseases of tomorrow. The World Health Organization recognizes that tobacco use is the fourth most common
risk factor for disease and the second major cause of death worldwide. Smokers have markedly increased risk of
multiple cancers, particularly lung cancer, and are at far greater risk of heart disease, stroke, chronic obstructive
pulmonary disease (COPD), and other fatal and non-fatal conditions. It has also been shown that non-smokers
exposed to second-hand smoke have a 25-35% increased risk of suffering acute coronary diseases, and increased
frequency of respiratory conditions.

Highlights

Among current smokers, 78% smoke manufactured cigarettes, 17%

smoke hand-rolled cigarettes, 7.5% smoke cigars and less than 1% smoke
pipes.
Men were more likely to smoke cigars (10%) than women,
with no women reporting smoking cigars.
Blacks were more likely to smoke hand-rolled cigarettes
(30.5%) than Whites (5%).
During the previous year, 45% of current smokers tried to quit and 45%
had been advised by a health care provider to quit smoking.
Nearly 18% of the respondents were former daily smokers. Among these,
72% had a technical or higher education compared to 51% with
secondary and lower education. Former smokers had stopped smoking
for an average of 22 years.
Overall, 11% of respondents reported that someone smoked in their
home and 12% reported that someone smoked in their workplace.
Persons of Asian and other races were more likely to report exposure to
tobacco smoke in the home (33%) and persons with household incomes
under $72,000 were more likely to report tobacco exposure in the home
(12%) than persons with household incomes of $108,000 and over (5%).

Total

14%

Gender

Men

Age

Women

20%

7%

18-44

15%

45-59

15%

60+

11%

Black

13%

White

13%

Race

Approximately 3 out of every 4 smokers (74%), smokes daily.

Daily smokers began smoking at age 18 years on average.
Among daily smokers, 83% of men and 100% of women
smoked manufactured cigarettes.
Daily smokers smoked an average of 11 cigarettes per day
however there were differences by race. Whites smoked an
average of 15 cigarettes per day while Blacks smoked, on
average, 7 cigarettes per day.
Nearly 8% of daily smokers smoked more than 25 cigarettes
per day. These persons were all within the 45-59 year age
group.

Education

Nearly 1 in 7 adults (14%) are current smokers (daily or some days).

Among men, this is 1 in 5 (20%).

Secondary & Lower

18%

Technical & Higher

11%

Under $72,000
Income

Figure 1. Percentage of adults who currently smoke

$72,000 to $107,999

$108,000 and over

WHO STEPS non-communicable disease risk factor surveillance

www.who.int/chp/
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16%

8%

11%

Trends
Where applicable, the results from STEPS to a Well Bermuda 2014 were compared to data from the Health Survey of
Adults and Children in Bermuda 2006 and the Health Survey of Adults in Bermuda 2011 as indicated in the following
charts. These prior reports are available from www.health.gov.bm .

The percentage of current smokers has not significantly changed overall from 2006 to 2014. However, there has
been an observed trend by gender, with slight increases in smoking among men and similar declines in smoking
among women.

Figure 2. Comparison of current smoking

2006 (light bars)

17%

2011 (medium bars)

19% 20%

17%

13% 13% 14%

10% 9%

Men

11% 10%

13%

16% 16%

18%

13% 13%

12% 12% 11%

7%

Women

Total

2014 (dark bars)

Black

Gender

White

Secondary & Lower

Race

Technical & Higher

Education

Overall, there have been declines in the proportion of current smokers who have attempted to quit within the
12 months prior to being surveyed. The percentages went from 55% overall in 2006 to 49% in 2011 to 45% in
2014.

Figure 3. Comparison of attempts to quit smoking

2006 (light bars)

2011 (medium bars)

2014 (dark bars)

65%
61%

59%

58%

55%
49%

48%

52%

50%

45%

47% 46%

45%

Men
Total

Women
Gender

46%

44%

Black

49%

49%

47%
43% 43%

White

42%

Secondary & Lower

Race

Technical & Higher

Education

For additional information, please email:

steps@gov.bm
------------------Reference:
World Health Organization (2005). WHO STEPS Surveillance Manual: The WHO STEPwise approach to chronic disease risk factor
surveillance. Geneva, World Health Organization

WHO STEPS non-communicable disease risk factor surveillance

www.who.int/chp/
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