Lost in the Smoke: Underrepresentation of Aging Adults in Nicotine and Tobacco Research
Bethea A Kleykamp, Hannah Smith, Mahima Dewan, Leanna M Kalinowski, Jacob Parsky, Jessica A Kulak
New research published in Nicotine & Tobacco Research highlights a significant gap in nicotine and tobacco research - older adults (60+) are vastly underrepresented. Despite being a growing demographic with persistent smoking rates, they are often excluded from studies that inform tobacco control policies and interventions.
Key Findings:
86% of studies included young people, but only 11% examined older adults.
Over 70% of research focused solely on young populations, while just 0.5% studied older adults exclusively.
The average participant age was 35, leaving middle-aged and older smokers underrepresented.
The study suggests that ageism in biomedical research, regulatory priorities, and funding biases contribute to this disparity. The lack of data on older smokers may undermine the effectiveness of tobacco policies, as interventions proven successful for younger populations do not always yield the same results for older adults.
Given the increasing number of older smokers, the researchers call for a paradigm shift in tobacco-related funding, research, and policy to ensure that nicotine and tobacco studies address all age groups. Expanding research focus across the lifespan is crucial for reducing tobacco-related health disparities and improving public health outcomes.
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