The 13th World Conference on Tobacco OR Health

Objective: To study the curent rate of tobacco effects among the peaple attending Ocean Road Hospital Dar es Salaam Tanzania

Methods: Between 1997and 2004, 312men and 82 women with lung cancer and 99 male and 104 female controls (consisting of patients newly diagnosed with cancers other than those known to be associated with smoking) were interviewed. Unmatched, unconditional logistic regression was used to calculate odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs) of developing lung cancer in relation to a number of variables.

Results: Risk of developing lung cancer related to exposure to tobacco, indoor pollution, dusty work environment.There was a significant increase in the risk of developing lung cancer through smoking. In men, the ORs were 3.2(95% CI = 1.0 to 4.6) in ex-smokers, 9.8 (95% CI = 5.9 to 16.4) in light smokers (0-14 g/day), and 12.0 (95% CI = 6.5 to 22.3) in heavy smokers. In women, the ORs were 5.8 (95% CI = 1.3 to 25.8) in ex-smokers and 5.5 (95% CI = 2.6 to 11.3) in current smokers. Work in a dusty industry showed an elevated risk (OR = 3.2, 95% CI = 1.8 to 5.8) for lung cancer only in men. .