Quality of life for tobacco smokers in relation to their socioeconomic status.
OBJECTIVE
To analyze differences in quality of life between smokers and non-smokers in relation to socioeconomic factors.


METHODS
This study was conducted on a sample of 600 respondents equally divided in two groups, smokers (300) and non-smokers (300). Former smokers were excluded. The study included both sexes equally further distributed into age groups: 19-34, 35- 49, 50-64 and 65-70 years. A questionnaire SF-36 to test the quality of life (36 questions measuring eight dimensions of quality of life) and questionnaire EuroQoL to examine the socioeconomic status was used. For the assessment of a given factor impact multivariant and univariant analyses of variance were used.


RESULTS
A significant difference in the quality of life between smokers and non-smokers according to the gender was found, but only at the subscales of physical functioning and bodily pain (p=0.000). An analysis of individual dimensions of quality of life in relation to marital status of smokers and non-smokers showed significant differences on the subscales of physical functioning (p=0.032), vitality (p=0.0430) and mental health (p=0.016). An analysis of life quality in relation to smoking status of respondents and the average monthly income showed that the average scores on all subscales were higher in non-smokers compared to smokers (p=0.000) and they were increased with the average monthly income.


CONCLUSIONS
The results of this study prove that there are significant differences in quality of life according to the smoking status. Also the socioeconomic factors which include age, gender, the surrounding, marital status, employment, total monthly income and level of education are of great influence on the quality of life with significant differences in relation to smoking status.
1Department of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, School of Medicine University of Sarajevo, Sarajevo, 2Department of Pulmology, 3Department of Cardiology; Clinical Center Sarajevo, Sarajevo, 4Health Care Centre with Outpatient Clinic, Kakanj, 5Department of Surgery, Cantonal Hospital Zenica, 6Department of Anatomy, School of Medicine University of Sarajevo, Sarajevo; Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Amela
A
Džubur
Bakir
B
Mehić
Alen
A
Džubur
Marijana
M
Filipovska-Mušanović
Amir
A
Denjalić
Ilvana
I
Hasanbegović
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011788:Quality of Life; D012907:Smoking; D012923:Social Class; D055815:Young Adult