Which statement about pneumonia management is true?

Which statement about pneumonia management is true?

• A. Public health follow-up is irrelevant to individual outcomes
• B. Smoking cessation contributes to better lung health and fewer infections
• C. Sputum color is not useful clinically
• D. Dullness to percussion indicates hyperresonance

Answer: (B)

Smoking cessation is a powerful, modifiable factor that directly improves lung defenses and lowers the risk of infections like pneumonia. When a person quits smoking, mucociliary clearance improves and airway inflammation decreases, which helps clear pathogens more effectively. Ciliary function can begin to recover within weeks to months, mucus production decreases, and the immune response in the lungs strengthens, all of which contribute to fewer infections and better recovery if pneumonia occurs. In the care plan for pneumonia, addressing smoking status and supporting cessation—through counseling, pharmacotherapy, and referrals—can reduce future respiratory infections and improve overall outcomes. Vaccination against influenza and pneumococcus also complements this by decreasing susceptibility to respiratory infections.

For context, the other statements aren’t accurate reflections of pneumonia management. Public health follow-up can influence individual outcomes indirectly through vaccination and exposure reduction, so saying it’s irrelevant to an individual’s result isn’t correct. Sputum color is not a reliable indicator of the type or severity of infection, so relying on color alone to guide management isn’t appropriate. Dullness to percussion suggests consolidation from pneumonia, while hyperresonance points to other conditions like pneumothorax or air trapping; thus the idea that dullness indicates hyperresonance is not correct.