We Are Healthy

An Estimated

7%

of Travis County adults REPORT SMOKING

Source: Texas Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS)
and Austin Public Health

WHERE DO WE STAND?

The percentage of Travis County adults who report being current smokers decreased to 7% in 2021, compared to 11% in 2017. Compared to 2020, when 12% of Travis County adults reported being current smokers, this represents a 43% decrease in the rate of current smokers. Travis county has a lower percentage of people who report smoking as Texas and the nation as a whole.

Source: Texas Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS)
and Austin Public Health

HOW ABOUT VAPING?

Over the past 5 years, the percent of Travis County adults who reported being current e-cigarette users increased from 4% in 2016 to 7% in 2021.

Source: Texas Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS)
and Austin Public Health

A FOCUS ON EQUITY

In Travis County, Black adults were more likely to report being current smokers than other adults in 2021. An estimated 10% of Black Travis County residents, 7% of Whites, 7% of adults identifying as other races or ethnicities, and 6% of Hispanics reported being current smokers in Travis County in 2021.

Source: Texas Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS)
and Austin Public Health Department

GENDER EQUITY

Between 2016 and 2020, a greater share of men reported being current smokers. In 2021, 7% of Travis County men and women reported being current smokers.

Source: Texas Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS)
and Austin Public Health Department

SMOKING BY INCOME

The data show that 20% of Travis County adults who earn less than $25,000 per year, and 9% of Travis County adults earning between $25,000 and $49,999 per year, reported being current smokers in 2021. Meanwhile, only 4% of Travis County adults who earn more than $50,000 a year reported being current smokers in 2021.

Source: Texas Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS)
and Austin Public Health Department

SMOKING BY AGE GROUP

An estimated 8% of Travis County adults between the ages of 30 to 44 and 45 to 64 reported being current smokers. Travis County adults between the ages of 18 and 29 reported being current smokers at a rate of 6% in 2021, while 3% of adults over the age of 65 reported being current smokers. Although the rate of current smokers decreased for all groups from 2020 to 2021, over the 5-year period, the rate of Travis County adults between the ages 45 and 65 that reported being current smokers may have increased from 7% in 2017 to 8% in 2021 (since the change is within the margin of error, the increase may not be significant).

Source: Texas Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS)
and Austin Public Health Department

SMOKING BY EDUCATION LEVEL

Travis county adults who are high school graduates reported being current smokers at a rate of 8% in 2021. The next highest rates were for adults some college (7%), and those who are college graduates (6%). The rate for adults have not earned a high school diploma or GED was not available. College graduates have reported being current smokers at a lower rate than adults with other education levels in most of the 5 previous years.

Source: Texas Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS)
and Austin Public Health Department

SMOKING BY EMPLOYMENT STATUS

In 2021, both Travis County adults who were employed, as well as those who are unemployed, reported being current smokers at a rate of 7% However, the rates have varied over the past 5 years with no defined pattern.

Source: Texas Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS)
and Austin Public Health Department

SMOKING BY HEALTH INSURANCE STATUS

In 2020, 18% of Travis County adults without health care coverage reported being current smokers, nearly three times the rate reported by local adults with health care coverage (6%). Over the past 5 years, a higher rate of local adults without health care coverage have consistently reported being current smokers.

Source: Texas Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS)
and Austin Public Health Department

SMOKING BY DISABILITY STATUS

In 2021, 12% of Travis County adults with a disability reported being current smokers, compared with 5% of local adults with no disability. Local adults with a disability reported smoking at higher rates than local adults without a disability over the past 5 years.

Source: Texas Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS)
and Austin Public Health Department

SMOKING BY SEXUAL ORIENTATION

In 2021, 14% of Travis County adults who identified as gay/lesbian/bisexual reported being current smokers. In the same year, 6% of local adults who identified as straight reported being current smokers.

In 2013 the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention developed questions to collect data on sexual orientation, and in 2014 began giving states the option to add these questions to their BRFSS questionnaires. Data for Travis County is not available previous to 2020.

Source: Texas Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS)
and Austin Public Health Department

SMOKING BY MARITAL STATUS

Travis County adults who are not married reported being current smokers at higher rates than local adults who are married. In 2021, 10% of Travis County adults who are not married reported being current smokers, compared with 4% of local adults who were married.

LOCAL EFFORTS

Central Health’s Health Equity Policy Council is made up of community members and stakeholders who identify and advance policies the community can adopt to address health equity & wellness. The Council is pursuing policies to see vaping prohibited in all places where smoking is not allowed.

The Chronic Disease and Injury Prevention Program, at Austin Public Health works to promote health and quality of life throughout Austin and Travis County. The Central Texas Diabetes Coalition and the Austin Tobacco Prevention & Control Coalition are two coalitions managed by the CDIP Program that are dedicated to improving individual health behaviors and the systems and environments in which people live. Free services include diabetes education and prevention classes, Walk Texas! Active 10-week challenge, Tobacco cessation referrals, and healthy eating and active living promotion.

HealthyATC.org, funded by Central Health, the Austin Public Health and Travis County Health & Human Services, is intended to help community members and policy makers learn about the health of the community. Tobacco is one of four priority areas.

Central Health is the lead agency for a six county Regional Healthcare Partnership Plan that describes how the region will transform healthcare delivery as part of a state-wide 1115 Waiver. The Plan includes several initiatives to address obesity and tobacco, two leading causes of chronic disease.