Socio-economic status of smokers presenting to the outpatient service: does chronic obstructive pulmonary disease make a difference?

Abstract

Sparse published data are available on the impact of social and personal factors leading to tobacco smoking. Identification of social and economic motives underlying smoking can facilitate the efforts towards control of tobacco smoking. A questionnaire was administered to 966 smokers attending the Chest Diseases Out-patient clinic at the Haseki Training and Research Hospital, Istanbul to collect demographic data from the participants. In all of them spirometry was performed. The participants with chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases (COPD) were less benefiting from social security system and they were less educated. Patients with COPD were generally living in cities. In this group the number of divorced patients were more than the other group. There are many factors causing individuals to initiate smoking. By eliminating these factors, mortality and morbidity rates caused by smoking will decline dramatically. This study aims to draw attention on personal and social factors for smoking.