New data from a National Cancer Institute (NCI) press release reveals that stroke survivors are less likely to quit smoking when compared with cancer survivors, with nearly 40% continuing to smoke combustible cigarettes post-stroke. Colleagues in the neurology and neuroscience department at Weill Cornell Medicine performed cross-sectional data analysis following the results to address the need for interventions addressing the substantial proportion of stroke survivors with a smoking history who continue to smoke.
The study
Researchers used the CDC Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System—an annual, nationally representative health survey—to perform the analysis. Pooled data between 2013 and 2019 contained information on 4,434,604 stroke and cancer survivors with smoking histories. Employed survey procedures were then used to estimate frequencies and summarize quit rations with attention to demographic and geographic factors for all survivors. The median age was 68-years-old, with 45% being women.
What were the results?
The cross-sectional data analysis indicated that the overall quit ratio for stroke survivors was 60.8%, with quit ratios varying by age group, sex, race and ethnicity, and geographic factors. The quit ratio for cancer survivors was 95%.
While health is a focal point when considering the benefits of quitting smoking, researchers want more in place to support stroke survivors.
“Programs for patients with stroke and cardiovascular disease should be as robust as smoking cessation programs offered to patients with cancer,” said Neal S. Parikh, MD, MS, and assistant professor of the department.
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