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Does smoking really kill anybody?
1Institute of Psychiatry, University of London, Denmark Hill, London SE5 8AF, England.
Psychological Reports
|December 1, 1995
Summary
Epidemiological statements about smoking "killing" people are misleading. This research clarifies that mortality risks arise from combined factors, not solely from smoking in isolation.
Area of Science:
- Epidemiology
- Public Health
Background:
- Commonly cited statistics suggest smoking causes a large number of deaths.
- The term "kill" is often used in a manner that can be misunderstood by non-experts.
Purpose of the Study:
- To critically evaluate the epidemiological language used to describe the mortality associated with smoking.
- To clarify the role of synergistic interactions between risk factors in mortality.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of epidemiological terminology and statistical calculation methods.
- Examination of how multiple risk factors interact.
Main Results:
- The term "kill" is used unconventionally in smoking-related mortality statistics, leading to potential misunderstanding.
- Standard calculations often overlook synergistic effects between smoking and other risk factors.
Conclusions:
- Attributing mortality solely to smoking is an oversimplification.
- Mortality is more accurately understood as resulting from a complex interplay of synergistic risk factors.