HSI Calculator (Heaviness of Smoking Index)
HealthCalculate the Heaviness of Smoking Index (HSI) from time to first cigarette and cigarettes per day. A quick, validated 2-question nicotine dependence screen.
HSI Total Score
0
What is a HSI Score?
The HSI Calculator scores the 2-question Heaviness of Smoking Index, a fast screening proxy for nicotine dependence combining time to first cigarette and cigarettes smoked per day. It's a shorter alternative to the full Fagerstrom Test for Nicotine Dependence.
This is a screening tool, not a diagnosis.
How to use this HSI Score calculator
- Answer how soon after waking you smoke your first cigarette.
- Answer how many cigarettes per day you smoke.
- Read your HSI Total Score instantly.
Formula & Methodology
Both questions are scored 0-3. Total Score = Time to First Cigarette Score + Cigarettes per Day Score (range: 0-6) Worked example — smoking within 5 minutes of waking (3) and smoking 25 cigarettes per day (2): Total Score = 3 + 2 = 5
Frequently Asked Questions
HSI is a brief 2-question screening tool combining time to first cigarette after waking and cigarettes smoked per day into a single score, used as a quick proxy for nicotine dependence when a longer questionnaire isn't practical.
No — HSI is a screening tool only, not a diagnostic instrument. It's designed to give a general sense of nicotine dependence level using just two quick questions.
Both questions are scored 0-3, and the two scores are added together for a total ranging from 0 to 6.
HSI uses only two of the six questions from the [Fagerstrom Test for Nicotine Dependence](/fagerstrom-test-calculator/) — time to first cigarette and cigarettes per day — which research has shown to be strongly correlated with the full test's overall result, making HSI a faster proxy.
Smoking soon after waking is widely considered one of the strongest indicators of physical nicotine dependence, which is why it's one of just two questions retained in this abbreviated index.
Higher totals generally reflect a stronger physical dependence on nicotine; this calculator does not provide a clinical interpretation — any specific concerns are best discussed with a healthcare professional.
No — this calculator runs entirely in your browser and does not transmit, store, or share your answers anywhere.
HSI's two-question format is faster to complete than the full six-question Fagerstrom Test, making it convenient for quick self-checks or situations where time is limited, while still capturing much of the same dependence signal.
Understanding your dependence level can help inform conversations with a healthcare provider about appropriate cessation support options, though HSI itself doesn't provide a treatment plan.
The [Pack Year Calculator](/pack-year-calculator/) measures cumulative smoking exposure over time, while HSI measures current physical dependence intensity — the two provide different, complementary perspectives on a smoking habit.
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