Associations in Cigarette Smoking and Health Conditions by Race/Ethnicity Among a Diverse Sample of Patients Receiving Treatment in a Federally Qualified Health Care Setting in Chicago

PURPOSE: To examine the association of cigarette use and smoking-related health conditions by race/ethnicity among diverse and low-income patients at a federally qualified health center (FQHC). METHODS: Demographics, smoking status, health conditions, death, and health service use were extracted from electronic medical data for patients seen between September 1, 2018, and August 31, 2020 (n=51,670). Smoking categories included everyday/heavy smoker, someday/light smoker, former smoker, or never smoker. RESULTS: Current and former smoking rates were 20.1% and 15.2%, respectively. Males, Black, White, non-partnered, older, and Medicaid/Medicare patients were more likely to smoke. Compared with never smokers, former and heavy smokers had higher odds for all health conditions except respiratory failure, and light smokers had higher odds of asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, emphysema, and peripheral vascular disease. All smoking categories had more emergency department visits and hospitalizations than never smokers. The associations between smoking status and health conditions differed by race/ethnicity. White patients who smoked had a greater increase in odds of stroke and other cardiovascular diseases compared with Hispanic and Black patients. Black patients who smoked had a greater increase in odds of emphysema and respiratory failure compared with Hispanic patients. Black and Hispanic patients who smoked had a greater increase in emergency care use compared with White patients. CONCLUSION: Smoking was associated with disease burden and emergency care and differed by race/ethnicity. HEALTH EQUITY IMPLICATIONS: Resources to document smoking status and offer cessation services should be increased in FQHCs to promote health equity for lower income populations.