The association of health-related quality of life and age of initiation of smoking.
OBJECTIVE
To assess the association between age of initiation of smoking and health-related quality of life.


METHODS
Secondary analysis of the 1997 Kentucky Health Survey.


METHODS
677 Kentuckians aged 18 years or older.


RESULTS
Participants were classified as current, former, and never smokers. Early initiation of smoking was defined as beginning smoking at less than 15 years of age. All participants completed the Medical Outcomes Study Short Form Health Survey (SF-20). Decremental health-related quality of life scores were demonstrated for persons initiating smoking before the age of 15 on SF-20 subscales of mental health, health outlook, and social functioning (p < .05). These decrements on SF-20 subscales are more pronounced (p < .05) for females on all of the scales except for physical functioning.


CONCLUSIONS
Regardless of current smoking status, people who initiate smoking before the age of 15 have a poorer health-related quality of life. Women who initiate smoking before age 15 appear to have a much poorer health-related quality of life than men.
Bass
Pat F
PF
Department of Internal Medicine, LSUHSC-Shreveport, 1501 King's Highway, PO Box 33932, Shreveport, LA 71130-3932, USA. pbassi@lsuhsc.edu
Wilson
John F
JF
Griffith
Charles H
CH
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D017668:Age of Onset; D000368:Aged; D001294:Attitude to Health; D005260:Female; D006305:Health Status Indicators; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D007629:Kentucky / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology*; D012737:Sex Factors; D012907:Smoking / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology