To start with the better news, smoking rates in Scotland are in decline according to the Scottish Government. This is based on findings from the Scottish Household Survey 2014, which was published in September 2015. The survey indicates that only 20 percent of adults now smoke. This is a drop from 23 percent based on the 2011 survey.
The three-percentage-point fall represents the biggest year-to-year decline in smoking rates since 1999. The long term aim of the Scottish government is to reduce tobacco smoking to less than 5 percent of the population by the year 2034. Commenting on the new figures, Public Health Minister Maureen Watt is quoted as saying: “I welcome today’s figures which show a significant drop in the number of smokers. Smoking is Scotland’s largest cause of preventable ill health and death.”
Despite the 20 percent headline figure, in more socially deprived areas smoking rates remain higher at 34 percent. This is despite these areas also seeing significant declines in adult smokers.
Less good news relates to overall health rates in Scotland. The least healthy group, based on census data, are people who identify themselves in the ‘White: Scottish’ ethnic group. This is set out in the report “Which ethnic groups have the poorest health?”
Another affected group is ‘Gypsy/Travelers’ in Scotland, reporting over three and a half times the ‘White: Scottish’ rate of ‘poor general health.’
The findings further showed that across all ethnic groups, older men reported better health than older women. The women with the highest rates of poor health were elderly Indian, Pakistani and Bangladeshi women.
The ethnic group reporting best health was White: Polish’ people aged under 65, although reported health for those in this ethnic group aged over 65 years was less good and more consistent with the Scottish population overall.
