Data sourced:
2022.
Page updated:
2025-02-10
The prevalence of tobacco smoking in Kenya remains a formidable public health concern. The number of smokers aged 15 and older in 2022 was estimated to be 2,573,131 individuals based on the data from the World Health Organization (WHO). The overall adult smoking prevalence in the same year was 7.6%, with a marked gender disparity observed: 14.7% of males and 0.7% of females were smokers. This represents a slight decrease from 2020 when the prevalence was 8.1% overall, with 15.6% of males and 0.8% of females smoking.
In 2021, tobacco smoking accounted for 9,418 deaths, corresponding to 2.63% of all deaths attributed to smoking. Gender differences in smoking-related mortality are evident, with 7810 male deaths (3.81% of all male deaths) and 1608 female deaths (1.05% of all female deaths). For reference, the adult daily smoking prevalence in 2015 was 8.3%, with 16.6% among males and 0.4% among females. These statistics underscore the ongoing challenge of tobacco smoking in Kenya, necessitating continued public health interventions and regulatory measures to reduce smoking prevalence and associated health impacts.
Prevalence
| Year | Value | Reference/Comment |
|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 3.1 million | 1A |
| 2020 | 2.6 million | 1B |
| 2022 | 2.6 million | 1C A |
References:
- 1. WHO global report on trends in prevalence of tobacco use 2000-2025, third edition. (2019). World Health Organization. https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/who-global-report-on-trends-in-prevalence-of-tobacco-use-2000-2025-third-edition. 2. Calculation based on population size data of people over 15 years of age (16+). Source of population data: World Population Prospects 2019 [Internet]. United Nations; 2019. (Department of Economic and Social Affairs, editor. Population Division). Report No.: Rev. 1. Available from: https://population.un.org/wpp/Download/Standard/Population/
- 1. WHO. (2021). WHO global report on trends in prevalence of tobacco use 2000-2025, fourth edition (4th ed). World Health Organization. https://apps.who.int/iris/handle/10665/348537 2. Calculation based on population size data of people over 15 years of age (16+). Source of population data: World Population Prospects 2019 [Internet]. United Nations; 2019. (Department of Economic and Social Affairs, editor. Population Division). Report No.: Rev. 1. Available from: https://population.un.org/wpp/Download/Standard/Population/
- 1. WHO. (2024). WHO global report on trends in prevalence of tobacco use 2000–2030. World Health Organization. https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789240088283 2. Calculation based on population size data of people over 15 years of age (16+). Source of population data: World Population Prospects 2019 [Internet]. United Nations; 2019. (Department of Economic and Social Affairs, editor. Population Division). Report No.: Rev. 1. Available from: https://population.un.org/wpp/Download/Standard/Population/
Comments:
- Current tobacco smoking rates among people aged 15 years and older, 2022 estimates. Crude adjusted prevalence (%). World Population Prospects 2019 [Internet]. United Nations; 2019. (Department of Economic and Social Affairs, editor. Population Division). Report No.: Rev. 1. Available from: https://population.un.org/wpp/Download/Standard/Population/
| Year | Value | Reference/Comment |
|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 10.2% | 2A |
| 2020 | 8.1% | 2B |
| 2022 | 7.6% | 2C A |
References:
- WHO global report on trends in prevalence of tobacco use 2000-2025, third edition. (2019). World Health Organization. https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/who-global-report-on-trends-in-prevalence-of-tobacco-use-2000-2025-third-edition.
- WHO. (2021). WHO global report on trends in prevalence of tobacco use 2000-2025, fourth edition (4th ed). World Health Organization. https://apps.who.int/iris/handle/10665/348537
- WHO. (2024). WHO global report on trends in prevalence of tobacco use 2000–2030. World Health Organization. https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789240088283
Comments:
- Current tobacco smoking rates among people aged 15 years and older, 2022 estimates. Crude adjusted prevalence (%).
| Year | Value | Reference/Comment |
|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 1% | 2A |
| 2020 | 0.8% | 2B |
| 2022 | 0.7% | 2C A |
References:
- WHO global report on trends in prevalence of tobacco use 2000-2025, third edition. (2019). World Health Organization. https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/who-global-report-on-trends-in-prevalence-of-tobacco-use-2000-2025-third-edition.
- WHO. (2021). WHO global report on trends in prevalence of tobacco use 2000-2025, fourth edition (4th ed). World Health Organization. https://apps.who.int/iris/handle/10665/348537
- WHO. (2024). WHO global report on trends in prevalence of tobacco use 2000–2030. World Health Organization. https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789240088283
Comments:
- Current tobacco smoking rates among people aged 15 years and older, 2022 estimates. Crude adjusted prevalence (%).
| Year | Value | Reference/Comment |
|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 19.5% | 2A |
| 2020 | 15.6% | 2B |
| 2022 | 14.7% | 2C A |
References:
- WHO global report on trends in prevalence of tobacco use 2000-2025, third edition. (2019). World Health Organization. https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/who-global-report-on-trends-in-prevalence-of-tobacco-use-2000-2025-third-edition.
- WHO. (2021). WHO global report on trends in prevalence of tobacco use 2000-2025, fourth edition (4th ed). World Health Organization. https://apps.who.int/iris/handle/10665/348537
- WHO. (2024). WHO global report on trends in prevalence of tobacco use 2000–2030. World Health Organization. https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789240088283
Comments:
- Current tobacco smoking rates among people aged 15 years and older, 2022 estimates. Crude adjusted prevalence (%).
1.6 million
3
C
| Year | Value | Reference/Comment |
|---|---|---|
| 2017 or earlier | 6% | 4A A |
| 2015 | 8.3% | 4B B |
References:
- Global Adult Tobacco Survey, 2014. Available at:https://nccd.cdc.gov/GTSSDataSurveyResources/Ancillary/DataReports.aspx?CAID=1
- Kenya STEPS survey, 2015; National, ages 18-69. Cited in WHO report on the global tobacco epidemic, 2023. Country profile.
Comments:
- In Kenya, GATS was first conducted in 2014 as a household survey of persons 15 years of age and older. A multi-stage, geographically clustered sample design was used to produce nationally representative data. There were a total of 4,408 completed individual interviews.
- Prevalence of daily tobacco smoking from the latest survey.
| Year | Value | Reference/Comment |
|---|---|---|
| 2017 or earlier | 0.6% | 4A A |
| 2015 | 0.4% | 4B B |
References:
- Global Adult Tobacco Survey, 2014. Available at:https://nccd.cdc.gov/GTSSDataSurveyResources/Ancillary/DataReports.aspx?CAID=1
- Kenya STEPS survey, 2015; National, ages 18-69. Cited in WHO report on the global tobacco epidemic, 2023. Country profile.
Comments:
- In Kenya, GATS was first conducted in 2014 as a household survey of persons 15 years of age and older. A multi-stage, geographically clustered sample design was used to produce nationally representative data. There were a total of 4,408 completed individual interviews.
- Prevalence of daily tobacco smoking from the latest survey.
| Year | Value | Reference/Comment |
|---|---|---|
| 2017 or earlier | 11.6% | 4A A |
| 2015 | 16.6% | 4B B |
References:
- Global Adult Tobacco Survey, 2014. Available at:https://nccd.cdc.gov/GTSSDataSurveyResources/Ancillary/DataReports.aspx?CAID=1
- Kenya STEPS survey, 2015; National, ages 18-69. Cited in WHO report on the global tobacco epidemic, 2023. Country profile.
Comments:
- In Kenya, GATS was first conducted in 2014 as a household survey of persons 15 years of age and older. A multi-stage, geographically clustered sample design was used to produce nationally representative data. There were a total of 4,408 completed individual interviews.
- Prevalence of daily tobacco smoking from the latest survey.
References:
- 1. WHO. (2024). WHO global report on trends in prevalence of tobacco use 2000–2030. World Health Organization. https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789240088283 2. Calculation based on population size data of people over 15 years of age (16+). Source of population data: World Population Prospects 2019 [Internet]. United Nations; 2019. (Department of Economic and Social Affairs, editor. Population Division). Report No.: Rev. 1. Available from: https://population.un.org/wpp/Download/Standard/Population/
- WHO. (2024). WHO global report on trends in prevalence of tobacco use 2000–2030. World Health Organization. https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789240088283
- Global Adult Tobacco Survey, 2014. Available at:https://nccd.cdc.gov/GTSSDataSurveyResources/Ancillary/DataReports.aspx?CAID=1
- Kenya STEPS survey, 2015; National, ages 18-69. Cited in WHO report on the global tobacco epidemic, 2023. Country profile.
Comments:
- Current tobacco smoking rates among people aged 15 years and older, 2022 estimates. Crude adjusted prevalence (%). World Population Prospects 2019 [Internet]. United Nations; 2019. (Department of Economic and Social Affairs, editor. Population Division). Report No.: Rev. 1. Available from: https://population.un.org/wpp/Download/Standard/Population/
- Current tobacco smoking rates among people aged 15 years and older, 2022 estimates. Crude adjusted prevalence (%).
- In Kenya, GATS was first conducted in 2014 as a household survey of persons 15 years of age and older. A multi-stage, geographically clustered sample design was used to produce nationally representative data. There were a total of 4,408 completed individual interviews.
- Prevalence of daily tobacco smoking from the latest survey.
Smoking-related mortality
| Year | Value | Reference/Comment |
|---|---|---|
| 2016 | 8.1 thousand | 1A |
| 2021 | 9.4 thousand | 1B A |
References:
- The Tobacco Atlas. Available at: https://tobaccoatlas.org/topic/deaths/ Data source: GBD 2016 Risk Factors Collaborators.
- Global Burden of Disease (GBD) 2021. https://vizhub.healthdata.org/gbd-results/
Comments:
- Number of tobacco-related deaths in the population in 2021 by gender for all age groups. Tobacco-related mortality includes smoking tobacco use, smokeless tobacco use and second-hand smoke.
| Year | Value | Reference/Comment |
|---|---|---|
| 2016 | 1.9 thousand | 1A |
| 2021 | 1.6 thousand | 1B A |
References:
- The Tobacco Atlas. Available at: https://tobaccoatlas.org/topic/deaths/ Data source: GBD 2016 Risk Factors Collaborators.
- Global Burden of Disease (GBD) 2021. https://vizhub.healthdata.org/gbd-results/
Comments:
- Number of tobacco-related deaths in the population in 2021 by gender for all age groups. Tobacco-related mortality includes smoking tobacco use, smokeless tobacco use and second-hand smoke.
| Year | Value | Reference/Comment |
|---|---|---|
| 2016 | 6.2 thousand | 1A |
| 2021 | 7.8 thousand | 1B A |
References:
- The Tobacco Atlas. Available at: https://tobaccoatlas.org/topic/deaths/ Data source: GBD 2016 Risk Factors Collaborators.
- Global Burden of Disease (GBD) 2021. https://vizhub.healthdata.org/gbd-results/
Comments:
- Number of tobacco-related deaths in the population in 2021 by gender for all age groups. Tobacco-related mortality includes smoking tobacco use, smokeless tobacco use and second-hand smoke.
| Year | Value | Reference/Comment |
|---|---|---|
| 2016 | 3.57% | 1A |
| 2021 | 2.63% | 1B A |
References:
- The Tobacco Atlas. Available at: https://tobaccoatlas.org/topic/deaths/ Data source: GBD 2016 Risk Factors Collaborators.
- Global Burden of Disease (GBD) 2021. https://vizhub.healthdata.org/gbd-results/
Comments:
- Percentage of tobacco-related deaths to deaths from all causes in 2021 by gender for all age groups. Tobacco-related mortality includes smoking tobacco use, smokeless tobacco use and second-hand smoke.
| Year | Value | Reference/Comment |
|---|---|---|
| 2016 | 1.5% | 1A |
| 2021 | 1.05% | 1B A |
References:
- The Tobacco Atlas. Available at: https://tobaccoatlas.org/topic/deaths/ Data source: GBD 2016 Risk Factors Collaborators.
- Global Burden of Disease (GBD) 2021. https://vizhub.healthdata.org/gbd-results/
Comments:
- Percentage of tobacco-related deaths to deaths from all causes in 2021 by gender for all age groups. Tobacco-related mortality includes smoking tobacco use, smokeless tobacco use and second-hand smoke.
| Year | Value | Reference/Comment |
|---|---|---|
| 2016 | 4.2% | 1A |
| 2021 | 3.81% | 1B A |
References:
- The Tobacco Atlas. Available at: https://tobaccoatlas.org/topic/deaths/ Data source: GBD 2016 Risk Factors Collaborators.
- Global Burden of Disease (GBD) 2021. https://vizhub.healthdata.org/gbd-results/
Comments:
- Percentage of tobacco-related deaths to deaths from all causes in 2021 by gender for all age groups. Tobacco-related mortality includes smoking tobacco use, smokeless tobacco use and second-hand smoke.
References:
- Global Burden of Disease (GBD) 2021. https://vizhub.healthdata.org/gbd-results/
Comments:
- Number of tobacco-related deaths in the population in 2021 by gender for all age groups. Tobacco-related mortality includes smoking tobacco use, smokeless tobacco use and second-hand smoke.
- Percentage of tobacco-related deaths to deaths from all causes in 2021 by gender for all age groups. Tobacco-related mortality includes smoking tobacco use, smokeless tobacco use and second-hand smoke.
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