To quantitatively evaluate smoking attributable deaths, potential life lost, and labor loss of respiratory system diseases in Shanghai residents using population attributable health effect evaluation method, and to provide scientific evidence for making relevant public health policy.

Smoking rates from 2013 Shanghai Non-communicable Disease and Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System and relative risk of smoke exposure from the Global Burden of Disease Study were used to calculate population attributable risk percent and deaths of respiratory system diseases, years of potential life lost (YPLL), labor loss, and index of life lost attributable to smoke exposure.

The number of deaths of respiratory system diseases attributable to smoking among residents aged 35 years and above in Shanghai was 4 394, 4076 males and 318 females. The YPLL was 32935 person years, the life lost index was 7.5 years, and the labor loss was 1 636 person years. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) had the highest population attributable risk percent associated with cigarette smoking, 68.65% for male and 9.29% for female. The deaths of COPD attributable to smoke exposure were 4299, of which 3983 were for male and 316 for female; the YPLL was 31457 person years, of which 28582 person years were for male and 2875 person years for female; the labor loss was 1304 person years, of which 1236 person years were for male and 68 person years for female. The life lost index of COPD attributable to smoke exposure was lower than that of other diseases, being 7.32 years, and female (9.10 years) was higher than male (7.18 years).

There are a large number of deaths of respiratory system diseases attributable to smoke exposure in Shanghai, greatly affecting life lost and labor loss. The smoking attributable mortality of male is higher than female, and COPD is a dominant contributor.