Media Statement

Statement Regarding First Release of Global Adult Tobacco Survey Result by Egypt

On January 28, 2010, Egypt released its first Global Adult Tobacco Survey (GATS) results.  Many countries conduct surveys to monitor adult tobacco use, but until recently, no one standard global survey for adults has consistently tracked tobacco use, exposure to secondhand tobacco smoke, and tobacco control measures. A fact sheet summarizing the results from Egypt can be found at http://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/global/gats/countries/emr/fact_sheets/egypt/.

Highlights from the GATS Egypt survey are as follows:

• 37.7% of men, 0.5% of women, and 19.4% overall (9.6 million adults) currently smoke tobacco.  In the overall population, 35.8% of men and 0.5% of women are daily tobacco smokers.
• 31.8% of men, 0.2% of women, and 16.3% overall (8.1 million adults) currently smoke cigarettes.
• 6.2% of men, 0.3% of women, and 3.3% overall (1.6 million adults) currently smoke shisha.
• 4.8% of men, 0.3% of women, and 2.6% overall (1.1 million adults) currently use smokeless tobacco.
• 6.5 million adults (60.7% of adults whose workplace includes an indoor area) are exposed to tobacco smoke in the workplace.
• 30.3 million adults (81.5% of adults) are exposed to tobacco smoke at home in the past month.

Tobacco use is the leading preventable cause of premature disease and death in the world and kills up to half of those who use it.  In the 20th century, the tobacco epidemic killed 100 million people worldwide; during the 21st century, it could kill one billion.  Containing this epidemic is one of the most important public health priorities of our time.

To effectively combat the tobacco epidemic, the World Health Organization (WHO) recommends MPOWER, a technical assistance package that requires monitoring tobacco use and prevention policies; protecting people from tobacco smoke; offering help to quit tobacco smoking; warning about the dangers of tobacco; enforcing bans on tobacco advertising, promotion and sponsorship; and raising taxes on tobacco.  Monitoring the tobacco epidemic is a key step in managing it. CDC oversees GATS, which is designed to produce national and sub national estimates on tobacco use, exposure to secondhand smoke, and quit attempts among adults. GATS also indirectly measures the impact of tobacco control and prevention initiatives.

Thirteen countries besides Egypt participated in the first round of GATS: Bangladesh, Brazil, China, India, Mexico, Philippines, Poland, Russian Federation, Thailand, Turkey, Ukraine, Uruguay, and Vietnam.  Results from GATS will assist Egypt and the other participating countries that will soon be releasing results. Likewise, results will enable countries to translate data into action through improved policies and programs.

GATS is a scientifically representative household survey of all noninstitutionalized men and women aged 15 years and older using a standard and consistent protocol.  Survey data are collected electronically during in-person interviews.

Funding for GATS is provided by the Bloomberg Initiative to Reduce Tobacco Use (partners include the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, CDC, CDC Foundation, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, WHO, and the World Lung Foundation).

CDC is partnering with the Ministry of Health in Egypt, WHO Representative in Egypt, WHO Eastern Mediterranean Regional Office, the Central Agency for Public Mobilization and Statistics, WHO Headquarters, CDC, CDC Foundation, the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, and RTI International to implement GATS in Egypt.

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U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES