Predictors of smoking cessation and duration: implication for smoking prevention

There are few articles studding the factors associated with successful smoking cessation in Iranian smokers. The aim of this study is to clarify the association between socio-demographic factors and smoking behavior, such as number of failed smoking cessation and duration of abstinence in Iranian population. A self-administered questionnaire survey of 673 participants was conducted in a local government health-care center. The questionnaire included items on socio-demographic information including, age, marital status, education, income, and job. Furthermore, information on smoking cigarettes including number of smoking per day, duration of smoking, cigarettes brand, nicotine concentration, and history of cessation was obtained. Mean +/- SD of age and daily cigarette consumption were 39.7 +/- 1.1 and 22.1 +/- 1.1 respectively. Failure rate of smoking cessation was higher in the lower age group [odds ratios [OR] 2.9; 95% confidence intervals [CI] 1.1, 7.7] and less than 10 numbers smoking per day [OR 2.4; 95% CI 1.3, 4.5] and duration of smoking more than 30 years [OR 3.4; 95% CI 1.2, 9.3] and foreign cigarette brand [OR 1.8; 95% CI 1.1, 2.7]. Length time of cessation was prominent in participants with lower age group [OR 5.4; 95% CI 1.3, 22.1], and less than 10 numbers smoking per day [OR 2.7; 95% CI 1.5, 4.9] and lower in smokers with duration of smoking more than 10 and 10-19 years [OR 0.32; 95% CI 0.12, 0.89], [OR 0.34; 95% CI 0.17, 0.76], respectively. The above results suggest that there are a significant association between socio-demographic factors and smoking-related behaviors in the Iranian population, consistent with previous reports world-wide. These factors should be considered to have appropriate public-health and policy response

Acute poisoning in children; a population study in Isfahan, Iran, 2008-2010

Acute accidental poisoning in children is still an important public health problem. The epidemiological investigation specific for each country is necessary to determine the extent and characteristics of the problem. The aim of our study was to elucidate the current pattern of acute poisoning among children. The present retrospective study describes the epidemiology of acute accidental poisoning in children [less than 10 years old] admitted to the Emergency Department of two teaching hospitals during a period of two years. Three hundred and forty four children under 10 years old were admitted to emergency department of two teaching hospitals due to acute accidental poisoning. Drugs were the most common agents causing the poisoning [58.1%], followed by Hydrocarbons [13.1%], and opioids [9.3%]. Common signs were neurological [42.6%] with lethargy being the most common [39.1%]. 50.6% of cases were discharged from hospital within 6-12 hours, 91.6% of them without any complication. Accidental poisonings are still a significant cause of morbidity among children in developing countries. Regarding the high prevalence of pharmaceutical drug poisoning and because lethargic was the most frequent neurological sign, comprehensive toxicology screen tests should be included as part of the routine evaluation of children presenting to an ED with an apparent life-threatening event