China City Adult Tobacco Survey: Key Take Aways

Cities are the hubs of economic and social development in a country. Tobacco control efforts in cities can influence surrounding areas and serve as example tobacco control and prevention activities. To advance local tobacco control efforts, China CDC, in collaboration with partners, used the Tobacco Questions for Surveys (TQS) to implement the City Adult Tobacco Survey in 14 cities. Experiences from this project can guide data collection, use, and dissemination in other cities.

Partners

• 14 Chinese cities (Anshan, Beijing, Changchun, Haerbin, Hangzhou, Kelamayi, Lanzhou, Luoyang, Nanchang,
  Qingdao, Shenyang, Shenzhen, Tangshan, and Tianjin)
• China CDC
• World Health Organization
• US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
• Emory University
• International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease

Main Conclusions

• Current smoking prevalence among males ranged from 32.7% to 44.8%.
• High awareness of e-cigarettes, with some use among current tobacco smokers.
• Smoke-free policy in public places is taking root, but secondhand smoke (SHS) exposure is still a challenge.
• Quit rates are low and tobacco cessation services need strengthening.
• People’s knowledge of the harms of tobacco use can be further improved.
• Pro-tobacco advertising and promotion is still visible.
• Cigarette prices very low and affordable.

Regional and City Profiles

The following are the key highlights from the 14 cities by region, representing nearly 53 million people. The most significant features about each city are listed, including the most notable survey results, updates on the tobacco control regulations, as well as essential demographic and economic indicators. Note that when an estimate for a city is described as the “highest” or “lowest”, the comparison is made only among the 14 cities included in the study.

Northeast Region

North Region

East Region

Northwest Region

Mid-South Region