ArticleAddiction (Abingdon, England)2025
How much does the absence of the 'hidden population' from United Kingdom household surveys underestimate smoking prevalence?
Article in Addiction (Abingdon, England), 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 8 papers.
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Who cites it
8 citing papers in PubMed.
- The UK's Tobacco and Vapes Act puts the end of smoking within reach, but the job is not done.The Lancet regional health. Europe · 2026Article
- Smoking, health and social justice.Clinical medicine (London, England) · 2026Article
- Associations between the national 'Swap to Stop' programme offering free vapes for smoking cessation and quit attempts in England: Results from a population-based survey.Addiction (Abingdon, England) · 2026Article
- Smoking and drinking among the Gypsy and Traveller communities: A population study in England.Addiction (Abingdon, England) · 2026Observational
- Tobacco smoking by disability status before and after COVID-19 onset: a repeated cross-sectional analysis of 1 087 678 adults.European journal of public health · 2026Article
- Alcohol use and support receipt among people experiencing homelessness in England: a cross-sectional analysis with comparison to private household populations.BMJ public health · 2026Article
- How much does the absence of the 'hidden population' from United Kingdom household surveys underestimate smoking prevalence?Addiction (Abingdon, England) · 2025Article
- Trends in the illicit tobacco market in New Zealand: a consumption gap analysis.BMJ public health · 2025Article
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Authors and funding
4 authors.
Funding
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND
aimSampling frames used by population surveys may result in an underestimation of smoking prevalence as those not residing in households, also known as the 'hidden population', are not sampled. This includes people living in care and residential homes, populations experiencing homelessness, as well as those who have an "absent or "temporary" household status (e.g. bed and breakfasts, unsupported temporary accommodation, and those in prison). This study estimated the impact of including these populations on smoking prevalence in the UK.
methodsData from UK government reports and published studies were used to derive estimates of the size of the hidden populations and rates of smoking within these populations. The impact of including the 'hidden population' on overall smoking prevalence in the UK was estimated, along with a correction factor to account for their exclusion.
resultsThe hidden population over the age of 18 was estimated to be around 1.9 million with a smoking prevalence of between 58% and 66%. Accounting for this hidden population in smoking prevalence surveys may inflate estimates by a correction factor of 1.12 to 1.14. This means smoking prevalence in 2022 would increase from a reported 12.9% to an adjusted range of 14.5-14.8%.
conclusionThe absence of the 'hidden population' from smoking prevalence surveys leads to underestimation of smoking rates in the UK. Based on the estimated correction factor, and assuming smoking continues to decline at current rates, achieving the UK government's target of <5% by 2030 would be substantially delayed.
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