The Effect of Nicotine Dependence Level and Educational Level on Occurrence of Lower Respiratory Tract Infection

Aim There are a lot of risk factors which effect occurence of lower respiratory tract infection (LRTI). We aimed to research through case-control study the effect of nicotine dependence level (NDL) and educational level on the occurence of lower respiratory tract infections in raw recruits. Material and Methods This study was performed in a military unit in the six-month period. The patients with LRTI were the case group while those who didn't have it were the control group. Both case group and control group were asked to complete the questionnaire which investigated their educational level and smoking status. The smoking group was additionally applied the Fagerstrom Test for Nicotine Dependence (FTND). Results The risk of LRTIs development was lower in primary school, high school and university group than uneducated group (OR=0.55 %95 CI 0.32-0.96, OR=0.48 %95 CI 0.29-0.78, OR=0.61 %95 CI 0.38-0.98, respectively). When LRTIs development risks were compared in terms of nicotine dependence status, LRTIs development risk was significantly higher in low nicotine dependent and in high nicotine dependent smokers than the nonsmokers (OR = 1.47, 95% CI 1.22-1.77, OR = 1.69, 95% CI 1.34-2.13, respectively). Conclusions Educational level and NDL effects occurence of LRTI. Probability of LRTI occurrence is lower in individuals with high school and university education than uneducated and primary school education. Likewise, NDL is an independent risk factor associated with smoking for LRTI. In the individuals with high NDL, the risk of LRTI increases. According to this knowledge, increasing educational level up to high school education in addition to carrying out anti-smoking campaigns reduces incidence of LRTI in young individuals.