Background
Pack-year history is an invaluable clinical tool for measuring tobacco-associated disease risk and determining eligibility for lung cancer screening with low-dose computed tomography. Patient-reported measures of smoking history have demonstrated strong test-retest reliability across various survey methods, but the variation between research and clinical settings suggests that non-standardized smoking history interview questions in community practice may not always reveal the true extent of a patient’s tobacco exposure. To date, no study has compared patient responses to differently phrased questions assessing the same measure of smoking history. We hypothesize there is a significant discordance between patient-reported number of years smoked and calculated elapsed time between age at initiation and age at cessation (or present age if current smoker).

Methods
This was a two-month prospective survey-based study conducted at the Western Michigan University Homer Stryker M.D. School of Medicine's Internal Medicine resident clinic in Kalamazoo, Michigan, including patients with a documented smoking history in their electronic medical records. Through verbal interviews, we collected data on number of years smoked, packs per day, and age of smoking initiation/cessation. Primary outcome variables were total years smoked and calculated pack-years. Secondary outcome variables were gender, age, and age of smoking initiation.

Results
There were 124 respondents (36% male, 63% female, 1% non-binary) with an average age of 55 and average smoking history of 1.2 packs per day. Of them, 46% were current and 54% were former smokers. Using a paired sample one-tail t-test, we compared patient-reported years smoked (M=22.06, SD=12.44) to calculated years based on age of initiation/cessation (M=24.03, SD=13.53), which showed a significant mean difference of 1.97 years (95% CI 1.16- 2.78, t=4.05, p<0.001). This discordance translated to a 21.29% increase in pack-years (from 24.32 to 29.50 pack-years) and a mean difference of 5.21 pack-years (95% CI 1.04-9.38, t=2.07, p=0.02).

Conclusion
Our study underscores the importance of critically evaluating the ways in which we gather a patient’s smoking history. When compared to pack-years calculated using age of smoking initiation/cessation, our sample population tended to underestimate their exposure by over 5 pack-years—a clinically significant difference for someone at high risk who might not otherwise receive screening imaging. Often a pivotal moment in adolescence, participants recalled their age of smoking initiation with greater precision compared to their estimations of total exposure. These results call for urgent reevaluation of the tobacco history interview, its notation in electronic medical records, and the methodology of taking a substance abuse history in general.

Rethinking the Smoking History Interview: A Prospective Survey-based Study

Click on a poster to submit a score (AMA member exclusive opportunity)

Clinical and Transitional Research

poster

Welcome to the **largest national, multi-specialty research** event featuring research from nearly 700 medical students, residents, fellows, and international medical graduates.

Use the buttons below or navigation menu to access the event.
 


[![](https://assets.underline.io/uploads/markdown_image/1/image/3e33a8c754cc49610b30950617d813e7.png)](https://underline.io/events/434/sessions?searchGroup=all)
 
[![](https://assets.underline.io/uploads/markdown_image/1/image/551404d429c4e274f9a54cbdd7081918.png)](https://underline.io/events/434/posters?searchGroup=all)
 
[![](https://assets.underline.io/uploads/markdown_image/1/image/677d92f566b880cebd36905fc738fc10.png)](https://underline.io/events/434/lounge)
 
[![](https://assets.underline.io/uploads/markdown_image/1/image/c7392833c7261c3874c5b43fa2f4df19.png)](https://underline.io/events/434/help-desk)
 

#### Event Details

The 2023 American Medical Association Research Challenge includes a poster symposium hall and a semifinals hall with the top scored research. **Log in at any time throughout the event to:**

* **View posters and presentations** on a variety of topics and specialties
* **Score posters in the semifinals** to help decide the top five finalists (AMA member exclusive opportunity)
* **Connect with participants** and provide feedback to help advance their research
* **Attend education sessions** with physician experts on key research topics

At the conclusion of this event, the AMA will announce the top five finalists who will advance to the AMA Research Challenge finals, present their research to an elite panel of judges, and compete to win a $10,000 grand prize sponsored by Laurel Road. 

### Grand Prize Sponsor

AMA would like to thank Laurel Road for sponsoring a $10,000 grand prize for the winner of the AMA Research Challenge. Laurel Road is not involved in the judging or scoring process to select the winner. The winner will be announced on February 4, 2024 during the AMA Research Challenge finals. Payment of the grand prize will be directly from Laurel Road. See the AMA Research Challenge Official Rules for terms and conditions.

![](https://assets.underline.io/uploads/markdown_image/1/image/611e331d4a0eba0920f240cfc04b4d77.png)

**There is no registration fee for this event! **

Register to explore research in a variety of topics. AMA members get exclusive access to score posters in the semifinals.

**Please use this link [here](https://www.ama-assn.org/about/events/ama-research-challenge) to register for free.**

Registration Is Required

AMA Research Challenge 2023

Join the AMA Research Challenge poster symposium and semifinals to explore top research posters, score posters in the semifinals (an AMA member exclusive opportunity) and attend education sessions with experienced physicians to learn tips to advance your research and career. 

Cameron Quon

1

1

SHORT BIO

Presentations

Rethinking the Smoking History Interview: A Prospective Survey-based Study

Stay up to date with the latest Underline news!

PRESENTATIONS

CONFERENCES

COMPANY

RESOURCES