UK: Smoking may be linked to higher risk of covid 19 infection
27 August 2020
Par: communication@cnct.fr
Dernière mise à jour: 27 August 2020
Temps de lecture: 3 minutes
A study by the Department of Behavioural Science and Health, University College London shows that current smokers have a higher risk of being infected with covid 19 than non-smokers, and that this risk is higher among smokers from lower socio-economic classes.[1]Paradoxically, smokers' compliance with health recommendations is lower than that of non-smokers, even though they are more afraid of being infected with Covid-19 and becoming more seriously ill.
Method :
This cross-sectional study conducted using longitudinal online follow-up of a cohort of 53,002 adults (aged 18 and over, with a good representation of different socio-economic groups in the United Kingdom) focused on: tobacco consumption, socio-economic status, health status, confirmed or suspected COVID-19 infection, fear of being infected with the COVID-19 virus and developing a severe form, compliance with preventive measures, and possible recent change in smoking. As this was a non-randomized sample, the data were weighted according to age, sex, ethnicity, level of education, and place of residence.
Results :
Overall, the prevalence of confirmed COVID-19 infection among ex-smokers was no different from that among never-smokers, while it was 1.8-fold higher among current smokers. Moreover, among current smokers with the lowest socioeconomic status, this prevalence was 3.5 times higher than among non-smokers.
Current smokers and ex-smokers reported more frequently being stressed about contracting COVID-19 than never-smokers (respectively: x 1.34 and x 1.22). This fear was higher among current smokers with the lowest socio-economic levels. Similarly, the fear of developing a severe form of the disease was more present among current smokers (approximately 30%) than among never-smokers (approximately 20%).
About 96 % of all respondents reported observing protective measures against virus transmission; this % was slightly lower among current smokers, and particularly among unqualified current smokers.
Finally, the changes related to covid-19 in the tobacco consumption of current smokers were independent of their socio-economic status: 44% did not change it, 42% increased it, and 13% decreased it.
Conclusion :
This large-scale study does not confirm previously published observations that suggested a lower rate of covid-19 infection among current smokers. Further research is therefore needed before we can conclude on the existence of a possible protective or weakening effect of smoking status on the risk of contracting covid-19.
©Tobacco Free Generation [1] Jackson, Sarah & Brown, Jamie & Shahab, Lion & Steptoe, Andrew & Fancourt, Daisy. (2020). COVID-19, smoking and inequalities: a study of 53,002 adults in the UK. Tobacco Control. tobaccocontrol-2020. 10.1136/tobaccocontrol-2020-055933. National Committee Against Smoking |