Mortality from secondhand smoke (SHS) exposure from 1990 to 2016 worldwide.
Main Message: Although there was improvement in both the SHS and pack-year index for the death of 1 individual who did not smoke, there were big variations in regional levels with the overall average meaning mortality from secondhand smoke exposure is still considerable worldwide.
Question: How many individuals who smoke are associated with the death of 1 individual who does not smoke but was exposed to secondhand smoke?
In this cross-sectional epidemiologic assessment, data from Our World in Data were used to tabulate the number of individuals who smoke in each country and number of premature deaths related to SHS in that country from 1990 to 2016.
Globally, the SHS index changed favorably, from 31.3 (95% CI, 30.6-32.0) individuals who smoked associated with the death of 1 individual who did not smoke in 1990 to 52.3 (95% CI, 51.2-53.5) individuals who smoked in 2016.
Worldwide, the pack-year index also changed favorably from 751.9 (95% CI, 736.3-770.7) pack-years associated with 1 death in 1990 to 1255.9 (95% CI, 1227.2-1284.4) pack-years in 2016.
Yousuf H, Hofstra M, Tijssen J, et al. Estimated Worldwide Mortality Attributed to Secondhand Tobacco Smoke Exposure, 1990-2016. JAMA Netw Open. 2020;3(3):e201177. March 17, 2020.
https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/2762812
Stephen Hamann
