Investigation on smoking status of residents aged 15 years and over in Hangzhou / 预防医学

Objective@#To learn the current situation of smoking among permanent residents aged 15 years and over in Hangzhou,so as to provide evidence for further smoking control.@*Methods@#From March to June of 2017,multi-stage random sampling method was used to select residents aged 15 years and over in Hangzhou from district (county),town (street),village (residential committee) and then residential groups. The global Adult Tobacco Survey (part of China) questionnaire was used to investigate smoking,second-hand smoking and smoking cessation status of residents. Logistic regression model was used to analyze the influencing factors for smoking and quitting behaviors.@*Results@#A total of 1 440 questionnaires were sent out and 1 434 valid ones were recovered,with an response rate of 99.58%. There were 359 (25.03%) current smokers and 333 (23.22%) daily smokers. The median number was 15 cigarettes per day in daily smokers,and the median age of starting daily smoking was 21 years old. There were 670 (62.33%) people exposed to second-hand smoking. There were 137 (27.62%) people successfully quitting smoking. The results of multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that men (OR=73.459,95%CI:38.970-138.458), 50 years old or above (OR:1.646-2.632,95%CI:1.020-4.710),primary school education (OR=3.267,95%CI: 1.586-6.732),high school or vocational school education (OR=1.902,95%CI: 1.109-3.261),awareness of second-hand smoking hazards (OR=2.485,95%CI:1.735-3.559) were the influencing factors for current smoking;men (OR=64.454,95%CI:29.031-138.691),50-59 years old (OR=0.281,95%CI:0.095-0.827),primary school education (OR=0.211,95%CI:0.053-0.841) were the influencing factors for quitting smoking.@*Conclusions@#The rates of current smoking and second-hand smoking of permanent residents aged 15 years and over in Hangzhou were 25.03% and 62.33%,respectively. Gender,age and education level were associated with current smoking and quitting smoking.

Exposure to Second-Hand Smoke among Adolescent in Secondary School Students in Sana’a, Yemen

The aim of the study was to assess the knowledge and attitude of secondary school students in Sana'a Yemen related to exposure to second-hand smoking. A cross-sectional study was conducted in Sana'a city. The total sample size was 336 students in which 63 were males and 273 were females. These students were stratified random sampling. Data were collected by using Questionnaire comprising of 3 parts: Part 1- consists of socio-demographic data. Part 2- consists of the knowledge regarding smoking and second-hand smoking and Part 3-consists of adolescents' attitude in relation to second-hand smoking. Out of 336 students, majority were between 14-18 years old (75.9%), males (81.2%), (55.7%) of them was fathers' occupation private employee and low educated mother was (86.3%). The students who do not have smoking habit were (94.3%), and those who do not have friends with the habit of smoking was (57.4%). (57.10) having some one else at home who smokes beside them. The reaction of non printed mass media for SHS warning was (83.3%). The exposed to smoke out door was (60.1%). In this study, the majority of students had inadequate knowledge about the second-hand smoke was (52.7%). A higher percentage of students who had unfavorable attitudes toward secondhand smoke was (86.6%). We concluded that The level of knowledge and attitude about the second-hand smoke is relatively low among the secondary school student in Sana'a Yemen. The finding of this study emphasized the need of effective awareness programs to increase level of consciousness and knowledge regarding SHS.

The Association between Involuntary Smoking Exposure with Urine Cotinine Level and Blood Cadmium Level in General Non-Smoking Populations

Unintentional environmental exposure to toxicants is associated with an aggravated health status of the general population. Involuntary smoking (IS) exposure is one of the main routes to involuntary toxicants exposure. However, few studies have attempted to understand the environmental cadmium exposure by IS exposure in the general, non-smoking population. The purpose of the current study was to examine the relationship between blood cadmium level and IS level according to gender and age. We used the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES) IV–VI data that included heavy metal and urine cotinine sampling with IS exposure history. The final analysis comprised 3,493 adults (1,231 males and 2,262 females) and 395 adolescents (210 males and 185 females). Linear regression was performed to estimate the association between self-reported IS exposure with urine cotinine level and blood cadmium level in non-smokers with gender and age group stratification. In final regression model, the effect values (B) (standard errors [SE]) between blood cadmium and urine cotinine level in men was 0.0004 (0.0001) and 0.0006 (0.0002) in adults and adolescents, the B (SE) in women was 0.0006 (0.0002) and 0.0016 (0.0006) in adults and adolescents. Our study revealed, for the first time, a significant association between blood cadmium and IS exposure in non-smokers. Greater efforts are needed to improve environmental justices of the general population from IS, considering the severe harmful effects of involuntary exposure to even a low level of cadmium.

Teachers Perception on Tobacco Free School in Bangladesh.

Introduction: Comprehensive tobacco-free school policy benefits everyone by reducing exposure to second-hand smoking and creating a system that reinforces tobacco-free norm and attitudes, which in turn affect tobacco use having an impact on the health of the community. Objective: This study aims to assess the perception of teachers on tobacco free school environments and factors supporting it. Methods: A two-stage cluster sampling technique was used for the selection of schools with selection probability proportional to enrolment size followed by stratified random sampling of government and private schools. Data were collected from 559 secondary school teachers using a structured questionnaire. Results: Estimation indicated that 48.3% (95% CI: 44.5%, 52.6%) of the teachers were less supportive and 51.7% (95% CI: 47.4%, 55.5%) were more supportive for smoking free school. Logistic regression analysis revealed that non tobacco user teachers were more likely to be supportive (OR=1. 891, 95% CI: 1.197, 2.986) for tobacco free school. However, no statistically significant association was found between perceived supportive tobacco free school and age, sex, level of education, type of school and family size (p>0.05). Exposure to second hand smoking and curriculum content of tobacco issues were not significantly related with tobacco free school. Conclusion: Comprehensive school based programme with participation of school personnel and community can effectively implement tobacco free school programmes.