Association Between Smoking Behavior and Pulmonary Tuberculosis Incidence

Abstract

Pulmonary tuberculosis (TB) is caused by the bacterium Mycobacterium tuberculosis and is classified as an infectious disease. Tuberculosis remains a major global health problem. For over 20 years, the World Health Organization (WHO) has made continuous efforts to reduce the incidence of pulmonary tuberculosis. According to estimates in 2016, approximately 45% of global tuberculosis cases occurred in the Southeast Asia region, with Indonesia being one of the most affected countries. This study aimed to determine the relationship between smoking habits and the incidence of pulmonary tuberculosis at Bhayangkara Hospital in Makassar. An analytical observational case-control study design was employed. Data were collected to examine whether there was an association between smoking habits and the occurrence of pulmonary tuberculosis. The case-control approach was used to compare the proportion of smoking habits in individuals with and without tuberculosis. The Chi-Square test showed a significant association between the duration of smoking and the incidence of tuberculosis (p-value = 0.009). The Odds Ratio (OR) was 0.19 (95% CI: 0.05–1.69), indicating that individuals who had smoked for more than 15 years were at greater risk of developing tuberculosis compared to those who had smoked for less than 15 years. Additionally, the Chi-Square test showed a significant association (p < 0.05) between the number of cigarettes consumed per day and the incidence of tuberculosis, with a significance value of 0.000. The Odds Ratio (OR) was 18.85 (95% CI: 4.25–83.59), suggesting that individuals who consumed less than one pack of cigarettes per day had an 18.85 times higher risk of developing tuberculosis. Based on these findings, it can be concluded that there is a significant relationship between smoking as a risk factor and the incidence of pulmonary tuberculosis.