Prevalence of and factors influencing smoking among medical and non-medical students in Tbilisi, Georgia / Prevalência de tabagismo e fatores que o influenciam em estudantes de medicina e outros universitários em Tbilisi, Geórgia

OBJECTIVE: Smoking is a serious problem that has a devastating impact on health. The objective of this study was to describe the prevalence of and factors influencing smoking among medical and non-medical students in Tbilisi, Georgia, as well as to determine whether medical education has an impact on smoking. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was carried out at Tbilisi State Medical University and Tbilisi State University, both of which are located in Tbilisi, Georgia. A total of 400 4th-year students (200 students at each university) were asked to complete standardized questionnaires. RESULTS: Of the sample as a whole, 48.75% were identified as smokers and 51.25% were identified as nonsmokers. The mean age was 20.24 years among smokers and 20.26 years among nonsmokers. Of the medical students, 49.5% were smokers, as were 48.0% of the non-medical students. The male-to-female ratio in the study population was 0.9:1.1. Smoking was found to have a strong relationship with gender, males accounting for 65% of all smokers. Of the smokers, 56.9% stated that they would like to quit smoking (for health or financial reasons). Of the medical students, 59.5% expressed a willingness to quit smoking, as did 54.2% of the non-medical students. CONCLUSIONS: There is a need to improve smoking education for undergraduate students. Special attention should be given to the inclusion of anti-smoking education in undergraduate curricula, as well as to the implementation of smoking prevention campaigns at institutions of higher education. However, such measures will be effective only if tobacco control policies are strictly enforced on the national level as well. .

OBJETIVO: O tabagismo é um problema sério, cujo impacto na saúde é devastador. O objetivo deste estudo foi descrever a prevalência do tabagismo e os fatores que o influenciam em estudantes de medicina e outros universitários em Tbilisi, Geórgia, bem como determinar se a educação médica tem impacto no tabagismo. MÉTODOS: Foi realizado um estudo transversal na Universidade Médica Estadual de Tbilisi e na Universidade Estadual de Tbilisi, ambas em Tbilisi, Geórgia. Pedimos a 400 alunos de quarto ano (200 em cada universidade) que respondessem a questionários padronizados. RESULTADOS: Do total da amostra, 48,75% eram fumantes e 51,25% eram não fumantes. A média de idade dos fumantes foi de 20,24 anos e a dos não fumantes foi de 20,26 anos. Dos estudantes de medicina, 49,5% eram fumantes, assim como o eram 48,0% dos universitários que não estudavam medicina. A razão entre os gêneros masculino e feminino foi de 0,9:1,1. O tabagismo apresentou forte relação com o gênero; 65% dos fumantes eram do sexo masculino. Dos fumantes, 56,9% disseram que gostariam de parar de fumar (por motivos de saúde ou financeiros). Dos estudantes de medicina, 59,5% disseram que estavam dispostos a parar de fumar, assim como o disseram 54,2% dos universitários que não estudavam medicina. CONCLUSÕES: É preciso melhorar a educação sobre o tabagismo nas universidades. Deve-se dar atenção especial à inclusão de educação antitabagismo no currículo das universidades e à implantação de campanhas de prevenção ao tabagismo em instituições de ensino superior. Entretanto, essas medidas só serão eficazes se as políticas de controle do tabaco forem rigorosamente observadas também em nível nacional. .

Allergic rhinitis and its impact on asthma update (ARIA 2008) - western and asian-pacific perspective.

The prevalence of allergic diseases such as allergic rhinitis (AR) and asthma is markedly increasing worldwide as societies adopt western life styles. Allergic sensitization is an important risk factor for asthma and AR, and asthma often co-exists with AR. An estimated 300 million people worldwide have asthma, about 50% of whom live in developing countries and about 400 million people suffer from AR. Yet, AR is often under-diagnosed and under-treated due to a lack of appreciation of the disease burden and its impact on quality of life, as well as its social impact at school and at the workplace. However, AR with or without asthma is a huge economic burden. Thus, there was clearly a need for a global evidence-based document which would highlight the interactions between the upper and lower airways including diagnosis, epidemiology, common risk factors, management and prevention. The Allergic Rhinitis and its Impact on Asthma (ARIA) document was first published in 2001 as a state-of-the-art guide-line for the specialist, the general practitioner and other health care professionals. Subsequent new evidence re-garding the pathomechanisms, new drugs and increased knowledge have resulted in the publication of the ARIA 2008 update. The present review summarizes the ARIA update with particular emphasis on the current status of AR and asthma in the Asia-Pacific region and discusses the Western and Asian perspective