Table 1.

Demographic characteristics of recent smokers^a overall and by smoking status, National Health Interview Survey, 2014–2015

	Overall n=15,532	Current smokers n=11,793	Former smokers n=3,739	Pb
Gender
Male	53.6	53.8	53.0	0.555
Female	46.4	46.2	47.0
Age group
18–24	11.8	11.7	12.1	<.0001
25–34	22.8	21.3	27.1
35–44	19.2	19.2	19.2
45–64	36.1	37.8	30.9
65+	10.2	10.0	10.7
Race/ethnicity
White, non-Hispanic	72.4	72.2	73.1	<.0001
Black, non-Hispanic	11.9	13.0	8.7
Hispanic	10.9	10.3	12.6
Other, non-Hispanic	4.8	4.5	5.6
Educational attainment
Less than high school	17.2	18.7	12.7	<.0001
High school	34.1	35.7	29.3
Some college	34.2	33.2	37.3
Bachelor’s degree or higher	14.5	12.4	20.7
Region
Northeast	15.6	15.7	15.5	0.004
Midwest	27.3	28.1	25.0
South	38.0	38.0	37.9
West	19.1	18.3	21.6
Health insurance
Yes	81.3	79.3	87.1	<.0001
No	18.7	20.7	12.9
Serious psychological distressc
Yes	7.1	8.2	4.0	<.0001
No	92.9	91.9	96.0
Other tobacco product used
Yes	14.4	16.0	9.6	<.0001
No	85.6	84.0	90.4
E-cigarette use
Daily	5.1	3.3	10.7	<.0001
Some day	9.8	11.6	4.7
Former triere	33.1	35.4	26.5
Never	51.9	49.8	58.1
Past 12-month quit attempt
Yes	-	48.9	-
No	-	51.1	-

^aSample includes current smokers and former smokers who quit since 2010;

^bRao-Scott chi square test determined significant differences between current and former smokers;

^cmeasured by a score of 13 or greater on the Kessler 6 (K6) nonspecific distress scale;

^dCurrently uses any of the following other tobacco products [OTP]: smokeless tobacco, cigars, little cigars, cigarillos, pipes, or hookah;

^eEver tried but not currenly using e-cigarettes