Health-related Quality of Life Among Smokers in Yogyakarta Province, Indonesia

Abstract

Background: Smoking is considered as the leading cause of many diseases and has detrimental effects on health. However, little is known about impairment of health related quality of life associated with smoking and level of nicotine dependence in Indonesian population. Methods. Data obtained from questionnaire survey among Yogyakarta city and Sleman district population. A number of 561 male respondents was selected by convenience sampling. WHO-QoL BREF consisted of 26 questions with 4 dimensions was delivered by trained interviewer. Nicotine dependence was measured using Fagerstorm scale consisted of 6 items. Age, education level, job status, physical activity was also being asked to respondents. Data was analyzed descriptively and association between smoking status, nicotine dependence level, and sociodemographic factors with health-related quality of life was investigated. Results. Overall, an estimated 58.1% of adults aged >15 years were current smokers and 41.9% were non-smokers. Current smokers had significantly poorer HRQoL than those who never smoked. Additionally, those who had high nicotine dependence were had more impaired HRQoL compared to low and moderate level of nicotine dependence. Respondents with low education, not employed, and physically inactive reported poorer HRQoL than their counterparts. Conclusions. There are relationships between smoking and HRQoL impairment. Lower HRQoL also reported among those who had high nicotine dependence, and others sociodemograhic factor. Awareness among health professionals about smoking as health risk behavior needed to be raised and smoking cessation interventions should be provided as potential efforts of tobacco control.