Income is also an important measure of SES. In the United States of America(USA) smoking prevalence is at 17.7% for those who earn under $15,000 per year(health ed). Compare this with those who earn $50,000 or more per year, their smoking prevalence is at 7.9% (health ed). Individuals from lower income communities are 1.5 times as likely to die from lung cancer, due to exposure to smoking and other factors(health ed). High income families have the lowest smoking prevalence between 19.0% – 20.2% (otago 2). Conversely the lowest income earners smoking prevalence is much higher, between 28.8% and 30.9% (otago 2). Children from low-income families are 91% more likely to be exposed to second hand smoke, and they are twice as likely to live with a smoker (Health Ed). Income, while important is however determined by the occupation that have.
Those in routine manual labour occupations smoke twice more often than those who are in managerial or professional roles (Helsinki). Likewise, those in blue collar jobs have smoked more than those in white collar jobs (stellman). In New Zealand, there is an occupational based measure of Socio Economic status, known as NZSEI (nzsei report), where jobs are measured from highest (class 1) to lowest (class 6). In NZ those in the highest occupational classes (I and II) and have higher paid jobs have the lowest smoking prevalence, between 14.1% and 14.3% (otago 2). Compared to those in the lowest occupational class of 29.7% to 31.6% (otago 2). Occupation is clearly an important measure in SES, but it is heavily influenced by is education.
In education, Men and women with poorer education have higher death rates from smoking related health issues such as Lung cancer than those with higher education (Cancer society 1). Smoking rates among adults over 25 with general high school education have the highest rates of smoking at 44% (legacy). On the other hand those with an undergraduate or post graduate degree have the lowest rates at 16.
