title: Respiratory symptoms correlating to smoking prevalence: the National Nutrition Survey and the National Life-style Survey in Japan.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Although the fact that smoking habits have adverse effects on health, whether the high proportion of smokers elevates the prevalence of symptoms relating to the smoking in a community is still unknown.
  
  
  METHODS
  An ecologic study about whole Japan was conducted. Age-adjusted smoking prevalence was calculated using the National Nutrition Survey data from 1986 through 1995 by prefecture and sex. Age-adjusted respiratory symptom prevalence were observed using the National Life-style Survey data in 1995. Correlation among 46 and/or 43 prefectures was examined by sex.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There was a negative correlation between smoking prevalence and wheezing prevalence among males (r = -0.301). Among females, positive correlations were observed on the symptoms of nasal obstruction (r = 0.355), nasal discharge (r = 0.344), sore throat (r = 0.481), cough (r = 0.350), sputum (r = 0.594), wheezing (r = 0.451), palpitation (r = 0.363), dyspnea (r = 0.587), and frontal chest pain (r = 0.472).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Smoking prevalence was deeply related to respiratory symptoms among females in Japan.
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health, Jichi Medical School, 3311-1 Yakushiji, Minamikawachi, Tochigi 329-0498, Japan.
authors.forename: Shinichi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Asahi
authors.forename: Ritei
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Uehara
authors.forename: Makoto
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Watanabe
authors.forename: Morihiro
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tajimi
authors.forename: Izumi
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Oki
authors.forename: Toshiyuki
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ojima
authors.forename: Yosikazu
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Nakamura
authors.forename: Shigenori
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Oguri
authors.forename: Akira
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Okayama
authors.forename: Yasuhiro
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Matsumura
authors.forename: Hiroshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yanagawa
mesh_terms: D005260:Female; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D007564:Japan / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D015995:Prevalence; D012135:Respiratory Sounds; D012140:Respiratory Tract Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology*; D012907:Smoking / Q000453:epidemiology*