Veracity of disability claimants' self-reports of current smoking status. Comparison of carboxyhemoglobin levels from disability claimant and reference population.
Carboxyhemoglobin level (%COHB) obtained during pulmonary function testing was used as a measure of recent tobacco smoking among persons claiming to be nonsmokers and ex-smokers. Asbestos disability applicants and reference routine clinical patients had similar mean %COHB (2.09 +/- 1.34 and 1.99 +/- 0.88, respectively) and proportions with abnormally elevated %COHB (35 and 46 percent, respectively, had %COHB greater than 2 percent). However, comparisons of persons claiming to be ex-smokers and nonsmokers showed that the ex-smokers had higher mean %COHB (p less than 0.001 by analysis of variance) and proportions with elevated %COHB. This study suggests that disability applicants and routine clinical patients do not differ in veracity of self-stated smoking information, but many persons claiming to be ex-smokers are actually not.
Harber
P
P
Department of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles.
Tashkin
D
D
Shimozaki
S
S
Hathaway
E
E
D001195:Asbestosis / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis; D002263:Carboxyhemoglobin / Q000032:analysis*; D004185:Disability Evaluation; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011653:Pulmonary Diffusing Capacity; D012016:Reference Values; D012650:Self Disclosure; D012907:Smoking / Q000097:blood*; D013147:Spirometry
D002263:Carboxyhemoglobin