Determinants of smoking and smoking cessation among health professionals in Serbia: A cross-sectional study

Background/Aim. Bearing in mind a high smoking prevalence in Serbia (34% in adult population; men 38%, women 30%) and leading role of health professionals in intervention and prevention, a cross-sectional study was performed smong the representative sample of health professionals in Serbia. The aim of the study was to identify predictors of smoking and smoking cessation prior to the total smoking ban in November 2010. Methods. In this nationwide study, 3,084 physicians and nurses from 4 types of institutions and four geographical regions were selected and 2,282 included (response rate 74.0%). Data were collected using a self-administered structured questionnaire. Standard statistical methods were used to calculate prevalence rates, and multivariate logistic regressions to evaluate independent predictors of smoking pattern. Risks were expressed as odds ratios (OR) which represent approximation of relative risks of exposed persons with 95% confidence intervals (95% CI). Results. We found a high smoking prevalence of 38.0%, the same for women and men (37.8% and 37.6%, respectively; p = 0.138), higher among nurses (41.7%) than physicians (29.1%) (p = 0.000), as well as among those employed in general hospitals (42.6%) and institutes of public health (43.8%) (p = 0.000). Significantly increased risk of being an ever or current smoker was noticed for nurses (OR = 1.75, 95% CI 1.42-2.14; and OR = 1.91, 95% CI 1.52-2.40, respectively), those employed in general hospitals (OR = 1.37, 95% CI 1.09-1.73 and OR = 1.40, 95% CI 1.09-1.79, respectively), and with worse self-estimated health (OR = 1.15, 95% CI 1.02-1.30; and OR = 1.17, 95% CI 1.02-1.34, respectively). Intentions to quit smoking or to reduce the number of cigarettes were more frequent in women (OR = 1.51, 95% CI 1.01-2.27) and participants who worse evaluated their health (OR = 1.74, 95% CI 1.39- 2.18). Conclusion. High smoking prevalence in health professionals could be a barrier for the full implementation of smoking ban in health institutions in Serbia. Smoking cessation programs at workplaces, formal education in smoking cessation techniques, and better Law enforcement by health administrations should be implemented.

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Smoking behaviour predicts tobacco control attitudes in a high smoking prevalence hospital: A cross-sectional study in a Portuguese teaching hospital prior to the national smoking ban

BMC Public Health ◽

10.1186/1471-2458-11-720 ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 11 (1) ◽

Cited By ~ 20

Author(s):

Sofia B Ravara ◽

Jose M Calheiros ◽

Pedro Aguiar ◽

Luis Taborda Barata

Keyword(s):

Tobacco Control ◽

Teaching Hospital ◽

Smoking Prevalence ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Smoking Behaviour ◽

Smoking Ban ◽

Sectional Study ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

High Smoking Prevalence

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Socioeconomic Inequalities in Smoking and Smoking Cessation Due to a Smoking Ban: General Population-Based Cross-Sectional Study in Luxembourg

PLoS ONE ◽

10.1371/journal.pone.0153966 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 11 (4) ◽

pp. e0153966 ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

Anastase Tchicaya ◽

Nathalie Lorentz ◽

Stefaan Demarest

Keyword(s):

Smoking Cessation ◽

General Population ◽

Population Based ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Socioeconomic Inequalities ◽

Smoking Ban ◽

Sectional Study ◽

Cross Sectional

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Genetic Variants in Smoking-Related Genes in Two Smoking Cessation Programs: A Cross-Sectional Study

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health ◽

10.3390/ijerph18126597 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 18 (12) ◽

pp. 6597

Author(s):

Gloria Pérez-Rubio ◽

Luis Alberto López-Flores ◽

Ana Paula Cupertino ◽

Francisco Cartujano-Barrera ◽

Luz Myriam Reynales-Shigematsu ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Smoking Cessation ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Nucleotide Polymorphisms ◽

Sectional Study ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Single Nucleotide ◽

Genotype Frequencies ◽

Quitting Smoking ◽

Genes Encoding ◽

Genomic Regions

Previous studies have identified variants in genes encoding proteins associated with the degree of addiction, smoking onset, and cessation. We aimed to describe thirty-one single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in seven candidate genomic regions spanning six genes associated with tobacco-smoking in a cross-sectional study from two different interventions for quitting smoking: (1) thirty-eight smokers were recruited via multimedia to participate in e-Decídete! program (e-Dec) and (2) ninety-four attended an institutional smoking cessation program on-site. SNPs genotyping was done by real-time PCR using TaqMan probes. The analysis of alleles and genotypes was carried out using the EpiInfo v7. on-site subjects had more years smoking and tobacco index than e-Dec smokers (p < 0.05, both); in CYP2A6 we found differences in the rs28399433 (p < 0.01), the e-Dec group had a higher frequency of TT genotype (0.78 vs. 0.35), and TG genotype frequency was higher in the on-site group (0.63 vs. 0.18), same as GG genotype (0.03 vs. 0.02). Moreover, three SNPs in NRXN1, two in CHRNA3, and two in CHRNA5 had differences in genotype frequencies (p < 0.01). Cigarettes per day were different (p < 0.05) in the metabolizer classification by CYP2A6 alleles. In conclusion, subjects attending a mobile smoking cessation intervention smoked fewer cigarettes per day, by fewer years, and by fewer cumulative pack-years. There were differences in the genotype frequencies of SNPs in genes related to nicotine metabolism and nicotine dependence. Slow metabolizers smoked more cigarettes per day than intermediate and normal metabolizers.

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Comparative Study of Chemosensory Dysfunction in COVID-19 in 2 Geographically Distinct Regions

Ear Nose & Throat Journal ◽

10.1177/01455613211000170 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 014556132110001

Author(s):

Daniel J. Lee ◽

Daniella Daliyot ◽

Ri Wang ◽

Joel Lockwood ◽

Paul Das ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Comparative Study ◽

Symptom Onset ◽

Subgroup Analysis ◽

Primary Outcome ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

The Self ◽

Sectional Study ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Specific Data ◽

Geographical Regions

Objective: To directly compare the prevalence of chemosensory dysfunction (smell and taste) in geographically distinct regions with the same questionnaires. Methods: A cross-sectional study was performed to evaluate the self-reported symptoms among adults (older than 18 years) who underwent COVID-19 testing at an ambulatory assessment center in Canada and at a hospital in Israel between March 16, 2020, and August 19, 2020. The primary outcome was the prevalence of self-reported chemosensory dysfunction (anosmia/hypomsia and dysgeusia/ageusia). Subgroup analysis was performed to evaluate the prevalence of chemosensory deficits among the outpatients. Results: We identified a total of 350 COVID-19–positive patients (138 Canadians and 212 Israelis). The overall prevalence of chemosensory dysfunction was 47.1%. There was a higher proportion of chemosensory deficits among Canadians compared to Israelis (66.7% vs 34.4%, P < .01). A subgroup analysis for outpatients (never hospitalized) still identified a higher prevalence of chemosensory dysfunction among Canadians compared to Israelis (68.2% vs 36.1%, P < 0.01). A majority of patients recovered their sense of smell after 4 weeks of symptom onset. Conclusion: Although the prevalence of chemosensory deficit in COVID-19 was found to be similar to previously published reports, the prevalence can vary significantly across different geographical regions. Therefore, it is important to obtain regionally specific data so that the symptom of anosmia/dysgeusia can be used as a guide for screening for the clinical diagnosis of COVID-19.

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