Decreasing residential fire death rates and the association with the prevalence of adult cigarette smoking — United States, 1999–2015

Abstract Introduction Each year from 1999 through 2015, residential fires caused between 2,000 and 3,000 deaths in the U.S., totaling approximately 45,000 deaths during this period. A disproportionate number of such deaths are attributable to smoking in the home. This study examines national trends in residential fire death rates, overall and smoking-related, and their relationship to adult cigarette smoking prevalence, over this same period. Methods Summary data characterizing annual U.S. residential fire deaths and annual prevalence of adult cigarette smoking for the years 1999–2015, drawn from the National Vital Statistics System, the National Fire Protection Association, and the National Health Interview Survey were used to relate trends in overall and smoking-related rates of residential fire death to changes in adult cigarette smoking prevalence. Results Statistically significant downward trends were identified for both the rate of residential fire death (an average annual decrease of 2.2% – 2.6%) and the rate of residential fire death attributed to smoking (an average annual decrease of 3.5%). The decreasing rate of residential fire death was strongly correlated with a gradually declining year-to-year prevalence of adult cigarette smoking (r = 0.83), as was the decreasing rate of residential fire death attributed to smoking (r = 0.80). Conclusions and practical applications Decreasing U.S. residential fire death rates, both overall and smoking-related, coincided with a declining prevalence of adult cigarette smoking during 1999–2015. These findings further support tobacco control efforts and fire prevention strategies that include promotion of smoke-free homes. While the general health benefits of refraining from smoking are widely accepted, injury prevention represents a potential benefit that is less recognized.