scholarly journals Smoking in Oman: prevalence and characteristics of smokers

2004 ◽  
Vol 10 (4-5) ◽  
pp. 600-609
Author(s):  
A. A. Al Riyami ◽  
M. Afifi

We carried out a cross-sectional survey to study the prevalence and the characteristics of current and former smoking among Omani adults. Crude prevalence of current smoking was 7.0% [males 13.4%, females 0.5%] ; 2.3% were former smokers. The overall highest prevalence of current smoking [11.1%] was observed in those 40-49 years [18.7% of males, 0.9% of females]. Older age [>/= 40 years], higher educational level and larger family size were protective against smoking. Mean age for starting smoking was 18.7 years for males and 24.3 years for females. Although smoking prevalence is low in Oman, prevention should be addressed in health education programmes, with the emphasis on heightening awareness in adolescents. Government action, e. g. tobacco taxation, clean air laws and bans on advertising, is also recommended

2014 ◽  
Vol 2014 ◽  
pp. 1-10 ◽  
Author(s):  
Carla J. Berg ◽  
Ana Aslanikashvili ◽  
Mamuka Djibuti

Georgia has high smoking rates; however, little is known about the prevalence and correlates of youth smoking. We conducted a secondary data analysis of a 2010 cross-sectional survey of 1,879 secondary and postsecondary school students aged 15 to 24 years in Tbilisi, Georgia, examining substance use, perceived risk, and recreational activities in relation to lifetime and current (past 30 days) smoking. Lifetime and current smoking prevalence was 46.1% and 22.6%, respectively. In secondary schools, lifetime smoking correlates included being male, consuming alcohol, lifetime marijuana use, and lower perceived risk (P’s ≤ .001). Correlates of current smoking among lifetime smokers included being male, consuming alcohol, lifetime marijuana use, lower perceived risk, less frequently exercise, and more often going out (P’s < .05). In postsecondary schools, lifetime smoking correlates included being male, consuming alcohol, lifetime marijuana use, lower perceived risk, more often going out, and recreational internet use (P’s < .0). Correlates of current smoking among lifetime smokers included being male (P’s = .04), consuming alcohol, marijuana use, lower perceived risk, and more often going out (P’s < .05). Tobacco control interventions might target these correlates to reduce smoking prevalence in Georgian youth.


2013 ◽  
Vol 2013 ◽  
pp. 1-8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robert D. Keeley ◽  
Margaret Driscoll

Introduction. Emotional responsiveness (ER) has been theorized to play a protective role in pathways to tobacco initiation, regular use, and dependence, yet a possible association between ER and smoking behavior has not been studied. Our aim was to test whether measuring ER to a neutral stimulus was associated with decreased odds of current smoking.Methods. We measured ER and smoking status (current, former, and never) in two datasets: a cross-sectional dataset of persons with diabetes (n=127) and a prospective dataset of depressed patients (n=107) from an urban primary care system. Because there were few former smokers in the datasets, smoking status was dichotomized (current versus former/never) and measured at baseline (cross-sectional dataset) or at 36 weeks after-baseline (prospective dataset). ER was ascertained with response to a neutral facial expression (any ER versus none).Results. Compared to their nonresponsive counterparts, adjusted odds of current smoking were lower among participants endorsing emotional responsiveness in both the cross-sectional and prospective datasets (ORs = .29 and .32,P’s<.02, resp.).Discussion. ER may be protective against current smoking behavior. Further research investigating the association between ER and decreased smoking may hold potential to inform treatment approaches to improve smoking prevalence.


BMJ Open ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (11) ◽  
pp. e037362
Author(s):  
Ben Wamamili ◽  
Mark Wallace-Bell ◽  
Ann Richardson ◽  
Randolph C Grace ◽  
Pat Coope

ObjectiveIn March 2011, New Zealand (NZ) launched an aspirational goal to reduce smoking prevalence to 5% or less by 2025 (Smokefree 2025 goal). Little is known about university students’ awareness of, support for and perceptions about this goal. We sought to narrow the knowledge gap.SettingUniversity students in NZ.MethodsWe analysed data from a 2018 cross-sectional survey of university students across NZ. Logistic regression analysis examined the associations between responses about the Smokefree goal with smoking and vaping, while controlling for age, sex and ethnicity. Confidence intervals (95% CI) were reported where appropriate.ParticipantsThe sample comprised 1476 students: 919 (62.3%) aged 18 to 20 and 557 (37.7%) aged 21 to 24 years; 569 (38.6%) male and 907 (61.4%) female; 117 (7.9%) Māori and 1359 (92.1%) non-Māori. Of these, 10.5% currently smoked (ie, smoked at least monthly) and 6.1% currently vaped (ie, used an e-cigarette or vaped at least once a month).ResultsOverall awareness of the Smokefree goal was 47.5% (95% CI: 44.9 to 50.1); support 96.9% (95% CI: 95.8 to 97.8); belief that it can be achieved 88.8% (95% CI: 86.8 to 90.7) and belief that e-cigarettes/vaping can help achieve it 88.1% (95% CI: 86.0 to 89.9).Dual users of tobacco cigarettes and e-cigarettes had greater odds of being aware of the Smokefree goal (OR=3.07, 95% CI: 1.19 to 7.92), current smokers had lower odds of supporting it (OR=0.13, 95% CI: 0.06 to 0.27) and of believing that it can be achieved (OR=0.15, 95% CI: 0.09 to 0.24) and current vapers had greater odds of believing that e-cigarettes/vaping can help to achieve it (OR=8.57, 95% CI: 1.18 to 62.52) compared with non-users.ConclusionsThe results suggest strong overall support for the Smokefree goal and belief that it can be achieved and that e-cigarettes/vaping can help achieve it. Smoking and vaping were associated with high awareness of the Smokefree goal, but lower support and optimism that it can be achieved.


2021 ◽  
Vol 319 ◽  
pp. 01051
Author(s):  
Amran Ibrahim ◽  
Karima El Rhazi ◽  
Bouchra Benazzouz ◽  
Sawson Mohammed

Cancer is the second biggest cause of premature death after cardiovascular diseases. However, the majority of cancers are caused by risk factors that may be changed. Knowledge is frequently a component of the behavior modification process. Data on the target population’s level of knowledge is required. A cross-sectional survey about nine risk factors for cancer was conducted in four areas in Yemen. The data was analyzed using spss statistics (version20). Among the (571) subjects who took part in the research. The majority of respondents agreed that active smoking, alcohol consumptions are cancer risk factors and physical activity as a preventive factor for developing cancer. However, fewer respondents agreed that passive smoking, lack of fresh vegetables and fruits, sun overexposure, obesity, air pollution in cities and indoor smoke, physical inactivity are cancer risk factors. Participants’ responses were shown to have a strong relationship with their educational level, residency, and gender. The higher the educational level and whenever the gender was male and residency urban the higher the probability that respondents identified cancer risk factors including smoking and physical activity as a preventive factor (p<0.0005). The findings show that this community has little knowledge of prevalent cancer risk factors.


2020 ◽  
Vol 30 (1) ◽  
pp. 71-76
Author(s):  
Konstantinos E Farsalinos ◽  
Anastasia Barbouni

ObjectivesTo examine the association between electronic cigarette (e-cigarette) use and smoking cessation in the European Union (EU) in 2017 according to e-cigarette use frequency and smoking cessation duration.DesignCross-sectional survey of EU citizens, representative of the population (Special Eurobarometer 458). Weighted proportions (95% CI) and adjusted prevalence ratios (aPRs) were calculated.SettingEU.Participants13 057 EU citizens aged ≥15 years (6904 current and 6153 former smokers).ResultsCurrent daily e-cigarette use was reported by 2.4% (1.8%–3.1%) of current and 3.3% (2.5%–4.2%) of former smokers (p=0.002), while former daily use was reported by 5.6% (4.7%–6.8%) and 1.9% (1.3%–2.7%), respectively (p<0.001). More than half of all former smokers had quit for >10 years. Current daily e-cigarette use was rare among former smokers of >10 years (0.2%, 0.1%–0.6%) and was more prevalent in former smokers of ≤2 and 3–5 years (12.9%, 9.1%–17.9% and 9.0%, 5.8%–13.7%, respectively). Compared with never use, current daily e-cigarette use was associated with being a former smoker of ≤2 (aPR 4.96, 95% CI 3.57 to 6.90) and 3–5 years (aPR 3.20, 95% CI 2.10 to 4.87). Former daily e-cigarette use was associated with being a former smoker of ≤2 years (aPR 1.96, 95% CI 1.21 to 3.12). Current daily e-cigarette use was negatively associated with being a former smoker of 5–10 and >10 years.ConclusionsCurrent daily e-cigarette use in the EU in 2017 was rare among former smokers of >10 years and was positively associated with recent (≤5 years) smoking cessation. Former daily e-cigarette use was also positively associated with recent (≤2 years) smoking cessation.


2000 ◽  
Vol 45 (1) ◽  
pp. 8-11 ◽  
Author(s):  
J.C. Knight

The objective of the study was to provide baseline data for Tayside in 1995 on the prevalence of smoking cigarettes in school children, aged 11 to 15 years. The design was a cross-sectional survey of 4675 children, obtained using a random cluster sample of 79 schools, stratified by school year and deprivation category. The main outcomes measures using a structured questionnaire, were the prevalence and level of smoking, by age and gender. The prevalence rate of regular smoking was 9% (95% CI 8.2%–9.8%). The rate rises appreciably for boys between 13 and 14years and for girls between 12 and 13 years. Source of cigarettes was also an outcome measure, most cigarettes were obtained from small shops. Health Boards require a standard method for collecting regional baseline data on the prevalence of smoking among children both for evaluation of targeted health promotion initiatives by age and gender and also for comparison of regional smoking prevalence with national targets.


2020 ◽  
Vol 2020 ◽  
pp. 1-8
Author(s):  
Prince Kubi Appiah ◽  
Georgina Agartha Fenu ◽  
Francis Wadga-Mieza Yankey

Background. There are laws to enforce the universal iodization of salt to check the consequences of iodine deficiency in Ghana. These laws are to ensure that there are production and sales of iodized salt in the country. Yet, the availability of iodized salt in the county's households is still not encouraging, with data indicating that 93.8% of children have urine iodine <100 μg/dl. Hence, the study investigated the iodine content of salt in retail shops and knowledge of iodized salt among retailers in the Wa East District. The study will help the informed decision on strengthening and enforcing laws to achieve the universal salt iodization and the consumption of adequate iodized salt. Method. The study was a descriptive cross-sectional survey. We used a questionnaire to collect quantitative data from participants and a rapid field test kits to determine the iodine content of salt. STATA version 14.2 was used to analyse data. Chi-squared and logistic regression models were used to examine the association between the dependent and independent variables and considered p value <0.05 as statistically significant. Findings. The retailers’ primary source of information about iodized salt was health workers (46.2%), with the majority (52.8%) of them having low knowledge of iodized salt. Notwithstanding the high knowledge of iodized salt, as high as 53.8% of the salts do not have adequate iodine (<15 ppm). Retailer’s sex (p=0.014), educational level (p=0.006), primary source of information about iodized salt (p=0.012), texture of salt being sold (p=0.023), and mode of displaying salt in the shop (p=0.003) were associated with knowledge of iodised salt. Again, retailer’s educational level (p=0.036), knowledge of iodized salt (p=0.034), texture of salt being sold (p=0.021), and method of displaying the salt being sold (p=0.004) were associated with an iodine content of the salt in the shop. Conclusions. Though policies have been implemented to promote production and consumption of iodized salt, the iodine content of salt in retail shops in the Wa East are not encouraging. We recommend the establishment of checkpoints along the production and distribution chain to ensure salt with adequate iodine reaches the consumer. Again, traders of iodized salt should have regular training on ways to preserve salt to maintain its iodine content.


2010 ◽  
Vol 70 (4) ◽  
pp. 446-457 ◽  
Author(s):  
Randy M Page ◽  
Bettina F Piko ◽  
Mate A Balazs ◽  
Tamara Struk

Objective: To assess smoking media literacy in a sample of Hungarian youth and to determine its association with current smoking and susceptibility to future smoking. Design: Quantitative cross-sectional survey. Setting: Four elementary and four high schools in Mako, Hungary. Method: A survey form was administered in regularly-scheduled classes to 546 eighth- and twelfth-grade students that included the smoking media literacy (SML) scale and items assessing cigarette use. Logistic regression was used to examine the relationship of smoking media literacy with current smoking, and also separately for susceptibility to smoking in the future, as dependent dichotomous variables. Results: Smoking media literacy was lower among the Hungarian adolescents than what has been previously reported in American adolescents. Multivariate logistic regression analysis results showed smoking media literacy to be associated with reduced risk of current smoking status at a similar level to that found in American adolescents. However, unlike previous research in American adolescents, smoking media literacy and susceptibility to future smoking was not associated. Reduced smoking may be most associated with the representation-reality domain of media literacy, which relates recognition of what is portrayed in the media with reality. Conclusion: Based on this study’s findings, prevention and health promotion planners in Hungary should consider media literacy training as a possible addition to smoking prevention efforts in community- and school-based efforts.


2017 ◽  
Vol 40 (8) ◽  
pp. 730-731
Author(s):  
Kouichi Tamura ◽  
Toru Dejima ◽  
Yukiko Morita ◽  
Satoshi Hirade ◽  
Hiromichi Wakui

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