TOBACCO SMOKING AMONG YOUNG PATIENTS WITH BRONCHIAL ASTHMA AND DETERMINATION OF SMOKING-RELATED BEHAVIOR IN THE PATIENT'S CLOSEST ENVIRONMENT

Background: The negative influence of tobacco smoke on the course of bronchial asthma is complex and includes direct toxic effects on the epithelium of the respiratory tract. It is estimated that in developed countries, approximately 25 percent of adult asthmatics are tobacco smokers. Knowledge of the scale of the habit, may considerably contribute to the optimization of effective pro-health activity. The aim of this study was to analyze the occurrence of tobacco smoking among patients with the respiratory system disease. Material and Methods: The study group comprised 371 patients (136 men and 235 women, aged 18-30) with diagnosed bronchial asthma and treated in the Allergy Outpatient Clinic in Swiecie, Poland. They were subjected to an analysis aimed at determining the reasons for tobacco smoking and smoking-related behavior in the patient's closest environment. Results: In the examined group, there were 92 tobacco smokers (63 men and 29 women). The multi-variant analysis showed that hanging around smoking friends, the pleasure of smoking and experienced relaxation were the most frequent motivation for taking up smoking. Similar reasons, hanging around smoking friends, group acceptance, and pleasure of smoking, were reported by 59.8%, 43.5%, and 43.5% of patients, respectively. The behavior of people in the closest environment influenced the majority of smokers with asthma; 80% of patients reported current smoking and 88% of patients in medical history. The proportion of non-smokers was 47 and 34%, respectively. Conclusion: To sum up, it should be stated that despite of the fact that smoking is a documented risk factor, young patients with bronchial asthma are still subjected to this habit. Med Pr. 2009;60(1):27-33