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

Increase past-year attempts to quit smoking in adults — TU‑11 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: 56.0 percent of adult smokers aged 18 years and over attempted to stop smoking for 1 day or more in the past 12 months or quit during the past year in 2020

Target: 65.7 percent

Numerator
Number of current adult cigarette smokers aged 18 years and over who quit smoking for 1 day or longer during the past 12 months and former smokers abstinent less than or equal to 365 days.
Denominator
Number of adults aged 18 years and over who are current cigarette smokers or former smokers abstinent less than or equal to 365 days.
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 the trend from 2008 to 2017 suggested that the prevalence of quit attempts among adult smokers is expected to increase throughout the decade, which would not have otherwise 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 less conservative target and data that suggest the prevalence of quit attempts among adult smokers has been gradually increasing.

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
Numerator:
[If smokes everyday or some days:] During the past 12 months, have you stopped smoking for 1 day or longer BECAUSE YOU WERE TRYING TO QUIT SMOKING?
  1. Yes
  2. No
  3. Refused
  4. Don't Know

Methodology notes

Adults are classified as current smokers if they report currently smoking cigarettes "everyday" or "some days". The methodology counts both successful (currently abstinent less than one year) and failed cessation attempts in the last 12 months. 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

Comparable HP2020 objective
Retained, which includes core objectives that are continuing from Healthy People 2020 with no change in measurement.
Revision History
  • Revised. 

    In 2022, due to the 2019 NHIS redesign, the baseline was revised from 56.0% in 2018 to 56.0% in 2020.
    The target remained 65.7% using the original target setting method of percentage point improvement.
  • 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%.