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Case–control study of the association between kava use and pneumonia in eastern Arnhem Land Aboriginal communities (Northern Territory, Australia)

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  23 September 2003

A. R. CLOUGH ,
Z. WANG ,
R. S. BAILIE ,
C. B. BURNS  and
B. J. CURRIE
A. R. CLOUGH
Affiliation:
Menzies School of Health Research, Darwin, NT, Australia Northern Territory University, Darwin, NT, Australia
Z. WANG
Affiliation:
Menzies School of Health Research, Darwin, NT, Australia
R. S. BAILIE
Affiliation:
Menzies School of Health Research and Flinders University, NT Clinical School, Darwin, NT, Australia
C. B. BURNS
Affiliation:
Menzies School of Health Research, Darwin, NT, Australia
B. J. CURRIE
Affiliation:
Menzies School of Health Research and Flinders University, NT Clinical School, Darwin, NT, Australia
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Abstract

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Pneumonia causes significant morbidity and mortality in Aboriginal populations in Australia's Northern Territory (NT). Kava, consumed in Arnhem Land since 1982, may be a risk factor for infectious disease including pneumonia. A case–control study (n=115 cases; n=415 controls) was conducted in 7001 Aboriginal people (4217 over 15 years). Odds ratios (OR) were calculated by conditional logistic regression with substance use and social factors as confounders. Pneumonia was not associated with kava use. Crude OR=1·26 (0·74–2·14, P=0·386), increased after controlling for confounders (OR=1·98, 0·63–6·23, P=0·237) but was not significant. Adjusted OR for pneumonia cases involving kava and alcohol users was 1·19 (0·39–3·62, P=0·756). In communities with longer kava-using histories, adjusted OR was 2·19 (0·67–7·14, P=0·187). There was no kava dose–response relationship. Crude ORs for associations between pneumonia and cannabis use (OR=2·27, 1·18–4·37, P=0·014) and alcohol use (OR=1·95, 1·07–3·53, P=0·026) were statistically significant and approached significance for petrol sniffing (OR=1·98, 0·99–3·95, P=0·056).

Type
Research Article
Information
Epidemiology & Infection , Volume 131 , Issue 1 , August 2003 , pp. 627 - 635
Copyright
© 2003 Cambridge University Press