Strategic Issues
Strategic Issue 1
High smoking prevalence and low quit success.
Hartlepool consistently shows higher smoking prevalence than both regional and national averages. Despite good engagement with services (referrals and quit dates), quit success rates are low, especially self-reported quitters. CO validation rates are higher, suggesting accurate reporting among those who do quit but the overall number of quitters remains low. Men are more likely to smoke but have lower quit success rates (26%) compared to women (32%).
Strategic Issue 2
Prevalence data shows there are inequalities.
Unemployed individuals and those with long-term illness/disability have high engagement but low success rates. Smoking prevalence among those with mental health conditions is 27.2%, higher than regional averages. Individuals with lower educational attainment are less likely to quit and more likely to suffer long-term harm, there is a high proportion of residents with lower qualification levels. Vulnerable children, especially those in care or with mental health challenges, are at significantly higher risk, of which there are higher rates within the Borough. Young adults (16-24) are at high risk due to peer pressure and social influences.
Strategic Issue 3
Hartlepool has higher mortality rates and poorer outcomes.
The mortality rates from lung cancer, COPD and oral cancer are higher than the North East and England. Emergency hospital admissions for COPD are rising and smoking-related birth outcomes (premature births, low birth weight) are also worse than average.