SMOKING HABIT AND INCIDENCE OF RESPIRATORY TRACT INFECTIONS IN A GROUP OF ADOLESCENT MALES

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Abstract
The smoking habits of 191 male students aged 14 to 19 yrs. were studied. Forty-eight percent were smokers, and 52% non-smokers. Among 179 of these boys, the association of the smoking habit with respiratory illness was examined. All types of respiratory illness (upper, lower, severe, or total) were more frequent among regular smokers, particularly among heavy smokers, than among nonsmokers. The incidence of severe lower (and combined) respiratory tract infections among regular smokers was 6.5 times that of nonsmokers and ex-occasional smokers. This factor rose to 9 when adjusted for differences in age. The smoking students, whether regular or occasional smokers, showed 2.6 times as many severe upper respiratory tract infections than the nonsmoking population. A positive program is suggested to help attack the problem of smoking among adolescents.