Prevalence of smoking by area of residence--Missouri, 1989-1991.

Variation in smoking prevalence by area of residence may be an important consideration in the development, implementation, and management of programs that promote nonsmoking. In general, the prevalence of cigarette smoking is highest among persons at economic, educational, and social disadvantage (1,2), and the proportion of persons who are disadvantaged is greater in urban and nonmetropolitan areas. Because smoking prevalence varies by area of residence and characterization of these differences can assist in directing efforts to promote nonsmoking, the Missouri Department of Health compared urban, suburban, and nonmetropolitan areas using data from two sources: the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) for Missouri from 1989 through 1991 (suburban and nonmetropolitan areas) and a survey specially commissioned in 1990 (Smoking Cessation in Black Americans [SCBA]) of persons living in low-income census tracts in north St. Louis and central Kansas City (urban areas). This report summarizes the results of this analysis.