5 Facts about Smokers in America and How They Differ from All Adults

by Michele Deutschman

Almost 40 million U.S. adults say that they currently smoke cigarettes - about 17% of the population, according to the 2013 MARS OTC/DTC Study. About 17% are between 18 and 24 years old and 22% are between 25 and 34.

Here are five ways smokers differ from all U.S. adults.

1. Almost half (45%) of smokers have an unhealthy diet. Smokers are 35% more likely than all adults to have an unhealthy diet.
2. Smokers are 54% more likely to say they are in fair/poor health. They are also 53% more likely to say they haven't had an annual physical in more than 2 years.
3. Smokers are 81% more likely to not have insurance and 73% more likely to have Medicaid.
4. Looking at their traditional media habits, they are 43% more likely to read sports/outdoors magazines, 35% more likely to watch sci-fi/fantasy television programs and 28% more likely to listen to classic rock on the radio.
5. Here are a couple ways their attitudes differ compared to all adults. They're 41% more likely to say that healthcare advertising on the Internet is credible and 33% more likely to trust pharma companies that advertise the medications they take.

Using data from this study can help agencies and marketers understand ailment sufferers, treatment and how to best reach them. For more information about accessing full study results, contact us here.

Kantar Media’s MARS OTC/DTC Study helps agencies, marketers and media make better healthcare media and marketing decisions. It ties multimedia consumption to medical ailments, pharma brands, attitudes and opinions about healthcare and many other data points. A large sample of about 20,000 respondents provides stable and reliable information across categories and brands. Gain insights into category and product usage for 500+ OTC and Rx remedies, detailed information for 70 health conditions, including treatment options and much more.