Engaging in the act of smoking. - Studying in KKH discovers elevated tobacco dependency prevalence in Hamburg.
Hamburg is seeing an increase in the number of professional smokers and regular smokers, as per a study published by the Kaufmännische Krankenkasse (KKH) on Wednesday. The health insurance company reported that 75 out of every 1,000 workers in the city received medical treatment in 2022 for issues related to tobacco addiction, withdrawal symptoms, or psychological problems.
On a national level, the average is 81 such cases per 1,000 employees. A decade ago, the figure was 55 out of 1,000 employees, resulting in a 35% rise. Yet, Hamburg has the second-lowest growth among German cities.
Michael Falkenstein, an expert on addiction at the KKH, stressed, "Even one cigarette per day can endanger a smoker's health." The risk of a psychological addiction, respiratory and cardiovascular diseases, and cancer soars with each additional cigarette consumed. E-cigarettes are also considered an addictive substance.
To conduct their research, the KKH analyzed anonymized data from 2012, 2019, and 2022, involving around 675,000 insured employees with sickness benefits. The health insurance provider provides coverage to approximately 1.6 million members across the country.
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The high prevalence of tobacco addiction in Hamburg was highlighted in a study by the Kaufmännische Krankenkasse (KKH), which revealed that 75 out of 1,000 workers in the city sought medical treatment for related issues in 2022. This figure is significantly higher than the national average and has seen a 35% increase over the past decade. Michael Falkenstein, an addiction expert at the KKH, emphasized that even one cigarette per day can negatively impact a smoker's health, increasing the risk of psychological addiction, respiratory and cardiovascular diseases, and cancer. The study also noted that e-cigarettes are considered an addictive substance. On World No Tobacco Day, it's important to remember that health insurance coverage, such as offered by the KKH, cannot substitute for the benefits of quitting smoking and maintaining overall health.
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