Risk Factors for Chronic Bronchitis among Women in Shahrekord, IRAN

Authors

1 Department of Internal Medicine, Shahrekord University of Medical Sciences and Health Services,

2 Department of Internal Medicine, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences and Health Services, IRAN

Abstract

Introduction: Chronic bronchitis is expected to be less prevalent among Iranian women, since smoking is uncommon among
them, however, recent reports disagreed this claim. Traditional baking and cooking with biomass fuel (wood fuel being the
most commonly used) is still common in our villages and small towns. These seem to be contributive factors for high
prevalence rate of chronic bronchitis among women.
Materials and Methods: We conducted a case-control study to identify the possible risk of indoor smoke and biomass
combustion. We compared 100 chronic bronchitis cases with 100 age-matched controls. The odds ratio (OR) was used as
the basic statistic to evaluate risk.
Results:Chronic bronchitis was associated with cigarette smoking (OR=6.10; p=0.009), water-pipe smoking (OR=4.41;
p=0.014), household baking (OR=4.90; p=0.002), using wood for baking (OR=3.04; p=0.000), using wood for space heating
(OR=2.36; p=0.009), using wood for cooking (OR=7.17; p= 0.000), and using kerosene fuel for cooking (OR= 4.63 ;
p=0.000).
Conclusion: Results have revealed that among women in Chahar- Mahal- Bakhtiari, wood and other biomass fuels used for
cooking, baking and heating are associated with chronic bronchitis. Changing to safer alternative fuels for cooking and
heating would ameliorate the impacts of chronic bronchitis. (Tanaffos 2002; 1(3); 19-23).

Keywords

TANAFFOS (Respiration)
Volume 1, 3(summer)
October 2002
Pages 19-23

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