[Smoking and health in Chile]

Findings from a literature review on the smoking problem in Chile are presented. According to prevalence studies, nearly 40% of the general adult population in Chile smokes. The proportion of smokers is smaller among women than among men. Between 1971 and 1984 the proportion of smokers rose from 36% to 41%, with an especially marked increase in women (from 26% to 39%). Calculation of the relative risk of mortality in smokers indicates that smoking accounts for 11% of all deaths in the country. Moreover, 11% of the infant mortality in Chile is attributable to the lower neonatal weight of children of women who smoke. The presence of smokers in homes is responsible for a 30% higher rate of acute respiratory infections. Women smokers have twice as many spontaneous abortions as nonsmokers and enter menopause an average of five years earlier. Hoarseness is 17 times more frequent and excess facial hair is seven times more frequent among women who smoke compared with those who do not. The habit tends to start during adolescence. The rising smoking rate among Chilean women is inversely related to level of schooling and directly related to economic capacity. Smoking during pregnancy is influenced by level of concern for the effects of tobacco and educational actions encountered during this period. The role of physicians and other members of the health team is crucial in this regard. Reference is made to organized antismoking measures, including bans on smoking, restrictions on advertising, warnings about its harmful effects, and various educational efforts. The main components of the Ministry of Health's smoking control program are reviewed.