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Cory McGilll, MPH, Department of Preventive Medicine and Community Health, Virginia Commonwealth University, 1106 Clay Street, Richmond, VA 23298, (804)651-2190, corymcgill@hotmail.com
Objective: Examine association between cigarette smoking and prevalence of adults reporting being diagnosed with asthma. Also, determine the prevalences of smoking and asthma according to various sociodemographic factors.
Methods: The sample data was collected by a telephone survey of civilian, non institutionalized adults. We combined data collected from years 2000 and 2001 of the Virginia BRFSS. Prevalence estimates for sociodemographic factors were calculated for both smokers and asthmatics using SPSS Statistical Software and Epi Info 6.0. Crude and adjusted risk estimates also calculated.
Results: The greatest prevalence of subjects were 35-44, 24.2%, with a 3% decrease in increasing and decreasing age groups. 75.9%, of the population was ?White Non-Hispanic,? and the other majority was ?Blacks Non-Hispanics,? 16.0%. 10.8% of respondents had asthma and half, 47.2%, were smokers.. The highest prevalence of lifetime smokers were i?55-64? at 56.6% and decreased with decreasing age groups. Women had higher odds of having asthma (OR 1.5;95% CI ? 1.2,1.8). Those with income ?less than $15,000 ,? had the highest odds of being diagnosed with asthma, (OR 1.6;95%CI ? 1.0,2.5). The crude risk of asthma among smokers was higher than non-smokers, (OR 1.2;95%CI ? 1.0,1.5).
Conclusion: Among Virginia Adults, smokers tended to be 18 to 24, male, lower educational attainment and income. Asthmatics tended to be female, age 18 to 24, and on the extremities of income. Cigarette smoking appeared to be an independent risk factor for asthma among adults. Smoking cessation policies should target those shown at risk and asthmatics.
Learning Objectives:
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: Virginia Department of Health
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.