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U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion

Increase the proportion of adults who get advice to quit smoking from a health care provider — TU‑12 Data Methodology and Measurement

On this page:  About the National Data  |  Methodology  |  History

About the National Data

Data

Data Source:  National Health Interview Survey (NHIS), CDC/NCHS

Baseline: 48.1 percent of adult current cigarette smokers and former cigarette smokers aged 18 years and over who quit in the past 12 months reported receiving advice from a medical doctor, dentist, or other health professional to quit smoking or to quit using other kinds of tobacco in 2020

Target: 58.1 percent

Numerator
Number of adult smokers and recent former smokers aged 18 years and over reported receiving advice from a medical doctor, dentist, or other health professional to quit smoking or to quit using other kinds of tobacco, among current cigarette smokers and former cigarette smokers who quit in the past 12 months.
Denominator
Number of adult current smokers and former cigarette smokers aged 18 years and over who quit in the past 12 months. Limited to current and former cigarette smokers who had seen a doctor or other health professional in the past year.
Target-setting method
Percentage point improvement
Target-setting method details
Percentage point improvement from the baseline using Cohen's h effect size of 0.20.
1
Target-setting method justification
Trend data were evaluated for this objective, but it was not possible to project a target because of an increased emphasis in recent years on the important role that health care providers can play in helping patients who smoke quit. This may contribute to an increasing trend throughout the decade, which would not have been captured by looking at preexisting trends in this measure. A percentage point improvement was calculated using Cohen's h effect size of 0.2. This method was used because of the availability of evidence-based interventions that support a more ambitious yet achievable target. The most available data suggested that the increase in the prevalence of adult smokers' receipt of advice to quit from a health professional may be accelerating.

Methodology

Questions used to obtain the national baseline data

(For additional information, please visit the data source page linked above.)

From the 2020 National Health Interview Survey:

Numerator and Denominator:
Have you smoked at least 100 cigarettes in your entire life?
  1. Yes
  2. No
  3. Refused
  4. Don't Know
[If yes:] Do you now smoke cigarettes everyday, some days, or not at all?
  1. Everyday
  2. Some days
  3. Not at all
  4. Refused
  5. Don't Know
[If not at all:] How long has it been since you quit smoking cigarettes?
  1. _______ days
  2. _______ weeks
  3. _______ months
  4. _______ years
  5. Refused
  6. Don't Know

From the 2020 National Health Interview Survey Cancer Control Module:

Numerator:
In the PAST 12 MONTHS, has a medical doctor, dentist, or other health professional ADVISED you to quit smoking, or to quit using other kinds of tobacco?
  1. Yes
  2. No
  3. Refused
  4. Don't Know
In the PAST 12 MONTHS, which of the following health professionals advised you to quit smoking or quit using other kinds of tobacco?
  1. Medical doctor
  2. Dentist
  3. Nurse
  4. Dental Hygienist
  5. Other health professional
  6. Refused
  7. Don't Know

Methodology notes

Current cigarette smokers: ever smoked at least 100 cigarettes and still smoke everyday or some days.

Former cigarette smokers who quit in the past 12 months: ever smoked 100 cigarettes; currently smoke not at all, and last smoked less than or equal to 365 days ago.

Current and former cigarette smokers who had seen a medical professional in the past 12 months received advice to quit smoking or quit using other kinds of tobacco if they responded "yes" to the question, "has a medical doctor, dentist, or other health professional ADVISED you to quit smoking, or to quit using other kinds of tobacco?" and answered "medical doctor", "nurse", "dentist", "dental hygienist", or "other health professional".

This indicator uses age-adjustment groups: 18-24, 25-34, 35-44, 45-64, 65+.

Age-adjustment notes

This Indicator uses Age-Adjustment Groups:

  • Total: 18-24, 25-34, 35-44, 45-64, 65+
  • Sex: 18-24, 25-34, 35-44, 45-64, 65+
  • Race/Ethnicity: 18-24, 25-34, 35-44, 45-64, 65+
  • Educational Attainment: 25-34, 35-44, 45-64, 65+
  • Family Income (percent poverty threshold): 18-24, 25-34, 35-44, 45-64, 65+
  • Family Type: 18-24, 25-34, 35-44, 45-64, 65+
  • Country of Birth: 18-24, 25-34, 35-44, 45-64, 65+
  • Disability Status: 18-24, 25-34, 35-44, 45-64, 65+
  • Geographic Location: 18-24, 25-34, 35-44, 45-64, 65+
  • Health Insurance Status: 18-24, 25-34, 35-44, 45-64
  • Marital Status: 18-24, 25-34, 35-44, 45-64, 65+
  • Sexual Orientation: 18-24, 25-34, 35-44, 45-64, 65+

History

Revision History
  • Revised. 

    In 2022, due to the 2019 NHIS redesign, the baseline was revised from 56.9% in 2018 to 48.1% in 2020.
    The target was revised from 66.6% to 58.1% using the original target setting method.
  • Revised. 

    In 2024, the following categories were recalculated with the use of a newer variable: Never married, American Indian or Alaska Native only, Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander only, 2 or more races only, Not Hispanic or Latino American Indian or Alaska Native only, Not Hispanic or Latino Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander only, Not Hispanic or Latino 2 or more races only. Estimates from data year 2022 or earlier may vary slightly from estimates previously reported. The baseline, baseline year and target were not affected.

1. Effect size h=0.2 was chosen to correspond with 20% improvement from a baseline of 50%.