Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2014 Mar;1(1):53-60.
doi: 10.1007/s40429-013-0003-6. Epub 2014 Jan 10.

Women and Smoking: The Effect of Gender on the Epidemiology, Health Effects, and Cessation of Smoking

Alicia M Allen  1 , Cheryl Oncken  2 , Dorothy Hatsukami  3
Affiliations

Women and Smoking: The Effect of Gender on the Epidemiology, Health Effects, and Cessation of Smoking

Alicia M Allen et al. Curr Addict Rep. 2014 Mar.

Abstract

Smoking is still the leading cause of premature morbidity and mortality. This paper examines new research on gender differences and the epidemiology of smoking, smoking-related morbidity and mortality, and factors that affect smoking cessation. The rate of decline in the prevalence of smoking has been slowing, especially among adolescent girls. New research suggests that, compared with men, women may be more susceptible to smoking-related morbidity and mortality. Gender-related barriers to smoking cessation include weight gain, sex hormones, and mood. Furthermore, the sensory aspects of smoking may have more of an effect on smoking treatment for women than for men. We discuss new studies that examine smoking-cessation interventions that may be particularly beneficial for women, including exercise (as an adjunct intervention), very low nicotine content cigarettes, and a variety of pharmacotherapy. Further research is needed to identify and target the gender-specific needs of smokers.

Keywords: Cessation; Gender; Health Effects; Nicotine; Sex Hormones; Smoking; Women.

PubMed Disclaimer

References

    1. CDC [Accessed October 10, 2013];Smoking and tobacco use. Surgeon General’s Reports 2001. Available at: http://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/data_statistics/sgr/2001/index.htm.
    1. CDC [Accessed October 10, 2013];Smoking and tobacco use. Surgeon General’s Reports 2004. Available at: http://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/data_statistics/sgr/2004/index.htm.
    1. CDC [Accessed October 10, 2013];Smoking and tobacco use. 2010 Surgeon General’s Report: How tobacco smoke causes disease: the biology and behavioral basis for smoking-attributable disease. Available at: http://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/data_statistics/sgr/2010/index.htm. - PubMed

    1. Pirie K, Peto R, Reeves GK, Green J, Beral V. The 21st century hazards of smoking and benefits of stopping: a prospective study of one million women in the UK. Lancet. 2013;381(9861):133–41. This study provides an updated estimate of the effect of smoking on morbidity and mortality in a sample of over 1.2 million women followed for eight years.

    1. Taylor DH, Vasselblad V, Henley SJ, Thun MJ, Sloan FA. Benefits of smoking for longevity. Am J Public Health. 2002;92(6):990–6. - PMC - PubMed

LinkOut - more resources