Estimating the economic impact of secondhand smoke on the health of a community.
OBJECTIVE
This study provides a model to estimate the health-related costs of secondhand smoke exposure at a community level.
Costs of secondhand smoke-related mortality and morbidity were estimated using national attributable risk values for diseases that are causally related to secondhand smoke exposure for adults and children. Estimated costs included ambulatory care costs, hospital inpatient costs, and loss of life costs based on vital statistics, hospital discharge data, and census data.
The model was used to estimate health-related costs estimates of secondhand smoke exposure for Marion County, Indiana. Attributable risk values were applied to the number of deaths and hospital discharges to determine the number of individuals impacted by secondhand smoke exposure.


RESULTS
The overall cost of health care and premature loss of life attributed to secondhand smoke for the study county was estimated to be $53.9 million in 2000-$10.5 million in health care costs and $20.3 million in loss of life for children compared with $6.2 million in health care costs and $16.9 million in loss of life for adults. This amounted to $62.68 per capita.


CONCLUSIONS
This method may be replicated in other counties to provide data needed to educate the public and community leaders about the health effects and costs of secondhand smoke exposure.
Zollinger
Terrell W
TW
Indiana University, Bowen Research Center, Long Hospital 245, 1110 West Michigan Street, Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA.
Saywell
Robert M
RM
Overgaard
Amanda D
AD
Jay
Stephen J
SJ
Holloway
Angela M
AM
Cummings
Sandra F
SF
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017048:Health Care Costs / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D007196:Indiana / Q000453:epidemiology; D018803:Models, Economic; D009017:Morbidity / Q000639:trends; D009026:Mortality / Q000639:trends; D014028:Tobacco Smoke Pollution / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000191:economics*
D014028:Tobacco Smoke Pollution