ABSTRACT
@#Introduction: General population across different countries have shown an overall support for anti-smoking measures that vary significantly by certain population parameters. However, characteristics of the public attitude in a community who has been exposed to prolonged awareness campaigns and smoke-free area legislation is unclear. Consequently, we investigate residents who reside next to Batu Buruk beach in Kuala Terengganu city which has been gazetted as a smoke-free area since 2017. Methods: The cross-sectional study involves self-administered validated questionnaires. Multiple linear regression with forward method was applied to identify significant factors associated with the attitude towards anti-smoking measures. Results: A total of 295 residents participated. Most of them were Malays (96.6%), married (64.4%), attained up to the secondary school level (45.4%) and employed (59.7%). The mean value of the total attitude scores was 181.86 (range: 70-200). Multivariate analyses revealed those having higher monthly income had a higher total attitude scores (adjusted b: 6.91, 95% CI: 2.15, 11.66), while current daily smokers had a lower total attitude scores towards anti-smoking measures than non-smokers (adjusted b: -23.30, 95% CI: -29.55, -17.05). These findings highlight comparatively stronger and more consistent support for anti-smoking measures that may vindicate high-stake investment and legislation against smoking. Conclusion: The novel evidence may also better-inform the strategy to expand the initiatives further through profiling the target population with heightened emphasis on the economic standing and prevalence of current daily smokers. Future research may adopt experimental design to establish causality relationship between predictors and outcomes revealed in this community.
ABSTRACT
Background: Smoking, drinking and chewing tobacco producthave been positively associated with oral lesions. The objectiveof the present study was to determine the prevalence oforomucosal lesions in relation to tobacco habit among a NorthIndian population.Materials and Methods: The present retrospective study wasstudy conducted among 1840 patients who reported in thedepartment of dentistry at NSCB Medical College Jabalpur MP.Along with patient's demographic details, information regardingthe type of habits, duration, frequency, site of placement,period of contact with mucosa, and history of discontinuation ofhabit were recorded using a standardized interviewer-basedquestionnaire. The diagnoses of clinically suspicious lesionswere confirmed by biopsy. Tobacco-related OMLs werediagnosed based on the clinical features. The collected datawere tabulated, and frequency and distribution tables of OMLswere generated using Statistical Package for Social Sciencesversion 21 (SPSS for Windows, Version 21.0. Chicago, SPSSInc.).Results: In the present study total patients were 3250 in which1840 patients were having habits. 58.69% males were havinghabits and 41.30% females were having habits. 67.59% maleswere smokers, 21.85% males were chewers and 10.55%males were having mixed smokers. 63.15% males weresmokers, 28.94% males were chewers, and 7.89% maleswere having mixed smokers. 36.90% patients were smokers,42.38% patients were chewers and 20.71% patients werehaving both smoking and chewing habits. The prevalence oftobacco coated tongue (31.57%) was highest in femaleswhereas in males prevalence of smoker’s melanosis (30.46%)was highest among all oromucosal lesions.Conclusion: Our study concluded that in both males andfemales smoking tobacco habit was more common thanchewing. The prevalence of tobacco coated tongue washighest in females whereas in males prevalence of smoker’smelanosis was highest among all oromucosal lesions.
ABSTRACT
Background: Substance abuse is a serious problem because it is engulfing the younger generation with serious health, social and economic concern. This study was conducted to determine the prevalence of substance abuse among male adolescents and study the habit pattern of substance abusers.Methods: A cross sectional study was conducted among 776 male adolescents residing in urban and rural field practice areas under the department of Community Medicine, through randomly selected house to house visit. Data regarding the current use of alcohol and tobacco was collected in a predesigned and pretested proforma by oral questionnaire method.Results: The prevalence of substance abuse among male adolescents was found to be 22.8% and majority of them used some form of smokeless tobacco, followed by smoking tobacco. Consumption of alcohol or tobacco by adolescents is significantly associated with alcohol or tobacco consumption by their family members.Conclusions: Prevalence of substance abuse was high among the male adolescents and they should be motivated through IEC to give up the habit.
ABSTRACT
Background-Globally adolescent population is around 1200 million and out of six person, every one person is in ado-lescence (aged10 to 19 years) period. Yet most of them are healthy, but premature death, illness and injury among them can hinder ability to grow and develop to their full potential. It is estimated that 1.2 million adolescents died in 2015 and mostly from preventable or treatable causes. Tobacco consumption is world’s leading cause of preventable morbidity and mortality. National Family Health Survey conducted in year 2016-17 reported tobacco consumption prevalence 38.9% in urban area and 48% in rural area of India. Method-It was a community based cross-sectional study conducted in eight villages of Wardha district adopted under Community Health Care program run by depart-ment of community medicine. Data was collected by interview from 485 adolescent in the age group of 10-19 years by domiciliary visits using pre-designed pre-tested questionnaire. Results:Prevalence of tobacco use (all forms), smoke-less tobacco use and smoking in rural adolescents were 20.82%, 20.41%, and 2.68%, respectively. Prevalence of to-bacco use in boys (30.29%) was more than girls (4.49%). Higher Prevalence was found in late adolescent period. Bidi was commonly used form of smoke tobacco while Kharra was the preferred smokeless tobacco. Almost all smokers were male but few exceptions were there. Conclusion: The prevalence of tobacco use among rural adolescents was very high (20.82%) as compared to national prevalence of 14.6% according to the global youth tobacco survey India 2009. There is a need of early intervention for tobacco cessation as overall mean age of 1st experienced to tobacco consumption was 12.02 years and in male and female users it was 12.25 years and 10.88 years respectively. 42.10 % adolescents 1st time experienced any type of tobacco products when they were in the 12-14 years age and only 0.66% adolescents experienced at the age of 17 -19 years. Maximum male (42.19%) and female (41.67%) ever user experi-enced their 1st tobacco consumption when they were 12-14 years old.
ABSTRACT
Background: Oral cancer is a major health problem in tobacco users worldwide and is one of the ten most common cancers. India alone accounts for 1/3rd of the world’s oral cancer and has a high rate of potentially malignant disorders (PMDs). The most common predisposing factors are smoking, smokeless tobacco, betel nut in quid form (pan), alcohol, spicy food, and sharp broken tooth. There are various tobacco‑associated lesions (TALs) which can be diagnosed at very early stage. This study was conducted to rule out association of smoking and smokeless tobacco with occurrence of TALs and its dose‑response relationship. Materials and Methods: Total of 60,018 patients attending the Department of Oral Medicine and Radiology from January 2013 to December 2014 with different oral and dental symptoms were screened. Of these, 4795 patients satisfying inclusion and exclusion criteria formed the cohort of the present study. All the patients were informed regarding the study and an informed verbal consent was obtained, following which they were interviewed for tobacco‑related habits and examined by the trained dental professionals for the presence of any lesion. Along with patients’ demographic details, information regarding the type of habit, duration, and frequency was recorded. Statistical Analysis: Statistical analysis was performed using STATA 13.1 software (STATA 13.1 software by Stata Corp Ltd India Continent) by applying Pearson’s Chi‑square test with Fisher’s exact test, Independent t‑test, and ANOVA test. Results: The overall study population showed maximum cases having habit of smokeless tobacco (37.9%) and smoking tobacco (36.5%). The overall prevalence of TALs was found to be 7.98%. Our study found strong relation of duration and frequency of habit with respect to occurrence of the lesions. Conclusion: TALs are often subtle and asymptomatic. Therefore, it is important for the clinician to maintain a high index of suspicion, especially if risk factors such as tobacco habits are present.
ABSTRACT
Tobacco smoking is a major risk factor for non-communicable diseases such as ischaemic heart disease; stroke; chronic obstructive airways disease and several cancers. There is little data about the prevalence and determinants of smoking among adolescents in southern Africa. This study aimed to determine the prevalence and determinants of cigarette smoking among adolescents in Blantyre City; Malawi. Cross-sectional data were obtained from school-going adolescents in Blantyre in 2001 using the Global Youth Tobacco Survey data collection instrument. Data were analysed to determine prevalence of current and ever cigarette smoking; and predictors of smoking. The prevalence of urrent smoking and ever smoking were 3.0and 15.6; respectively. Predictors of current tobacco smoking included male gender; having friends or parents who smoked; having been exposed to advertisements about tobacco brands on television and having seen a lot of advertisements in newspapers and magazines. School programmes that included being taught about smoking in class and a class discussion on the dangers of tobacco were not associated with reduced current smoking. Intervention programmesaiming to curb tobacco smoking among adolescents should focus on dealing also with parental smoking; peer influence and pay special attention toward male gender. School-based programmes to prevent smoking should be evaluated as some may have little impact in influencing current smoking status