Impact of tobacco and wood smoke on chronic respiratory diseases in patients over 40 years of age residing in the canton of El Resbaladero, Coatepeque, Santa Ana

Abstract

Patients with respiratory diseases often go to the doctor for different reasons: as a result of their symptoms or because of alterations in a chest X-ray or both reasons. As usually, the symptoms that the patient presents go from the more general (cough and dispnoea) to the most specific (radiological findings). All this can be verified through two important tests conducted, which help to confirm lung damage. Such tests are carried out more frequently in different hospitals in our country because they are within the 
population`s reach. These tests include chest radiography and spirometry.

In Latin American countries, respiratory diseases are extremely common, particularly in rural areas. In these areas, people are exposed to a combination of two types of harmful smoke for the respiratory tract`s health: tabacco smoke and firewood smoke. The exposure to these two types of smoke creates acute diseases. Above all and in long-term, it produces chronic diseases such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, knowing by its letters COPD.

During the research of descriptive transversal type, a survey was used as a technique. A fieldwork was even conducted in a rural area previously selected. The results were presented under the proposal to a future intervention to generate health and welfare to the population studied.