Abstract
Aim: The aim of the study was to evaluate the admissions to emergency department due to tobacco-related diseases before and after smoke-free legislation.
Method: The number of admissions to emergency departments of 15 hospitals in Kocaeli was evaluated retrospectively before and after the implementation of smoke-free legislation published in 19 July 2009. ICD codes of smoking-related disease which were determined as bronchitis (BR), chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), asthma, nasopharingitis (NP), lower respiratory tract infections (LRTI), allergic rhinitis (AR) and myocardial infarction (MI) were recorded The data on January to June 2009 and 2010 were compared for the prevention of seasonal changes.
Results: There was a 22.5% decline in all emergency admissions due to smoking-related diseases.
Total number of admissions due to above mentioned diseases was 83 089 in the first 6 months of 2009 while it was decreased to 64 314 in the first 6 months of 2010. There was a 39.8% reduction in the diagnosis of bronchitis, 4.3% of reduction in the lower respiratory tract infections, 61.9% reduction for allergic rhinitis and 21.2% reduction in the COPD exacerbations.
Conclusion: The number of admissions to emergency department due to tobacco-related disease decreased after the implementation of smoke-free legislation. This finding might be interpreted as an achievement of smoke-free environment.
- © 2011 ERS