ASSOCIATION OF PASSIVE SMOKING WITH RESPIRATORY SYMPTOMS AND CLINICAL CORRELATES, AMONG MARRIED WOMEN IN RURAL AREAS OF LAHORE

Objective: To evaluate the affiliation of passive smoking with respiratory illness and medical correlates in married women of Pakistan.

Method: A Cross-sectional analysis was done on married women of rural areas of Lahore through an Interviewer administered performa. 100 women were interviewed. The study period was from January to October 2020. All data was entered and analysis was done utilizing SPSS v 23.

Results: The two significant respiratory illnesses that were common in interviewers to be associated with passive smoking were sinusitis and cough. Coal or dried wooden bars utilization as fuel for cooking also contributed few of the symptoms such as headache. The pulse rate (89 ± 14 beats/min) of the passive smoking women was statistically significantly higher than the pulse rate (71 ± 09 beats/min) of the non-passive smoking women.

Conclusion: Passive smoking was found to have association with respiratory symptoms among married women. Higher pulse rate was also linked with passive smoking.