engleski

Respiratory function in older women in relation to living environment

The study examines respiratory function of institutionalized elderly female population aged 65 and older and compares the measured values to those predicted using the available normal values. 475 females were examined (mean age was 78 years), 12.6% of whom were smokers. The results demonstrate that smoking and urban living conditions influenced the respiratory function. Smokers had higher prevalence of all chronic respiratory symptoms and lower ventilatory capacity parameters than nonsmokers did. With regard to employment, industrial and agricultural workers had similar prevalences of respiratory symptoms and similar ventilatory capacity parameters as office and house workers. With regard to smoking habits, smokers living in urban area had considerably higher prevalence of respiratory symptoms and higher ventilatory capacity parameters than smokers living in rural area. The measured lung flows were significantly lower than their predicted values. The findings suggest that women aged 60 and over experience chronic respiratory symptoms and lung function impairment into their retirement which can be associated with smoking history and with living in urban environment.

respiratory function; living environment; population genetics; anthropology

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