Perceptions of students regarding the effects of the implementation of the tobacco control act of 1999 on a South African University campus

Background: Smoking among adolescents is high. In order to curb the habit, restrictions on use of tobacco products in public places were implemented in South Africa. This study aimed to explore students’ perceptions of whether the implementation of smoking restrictions and no-smoking signs have had any effects on smoking behaviours on campus. Methods: A quantitative cross-sectional study was conducted amongst university students, who completed a self-administered questionnaire. Results: Students were aware that smoking causes disease and that second-hand smoke is dangerous. The majority were pleased that there was a smoking regulation in effect, but disagreed that it created a healthier atmosphere. Many would like a total ban enforced in restaurants, clubs, bars and university campuses. They felt that there were insufficient non-smoking signs in public areas. Many smokers stated that they ignored regulations and only a minority stated that the policy encouraged smokers to quit. Conclusion: Smoking among students has decreased over the years. This has been accompanied by an increase in knowledge of the harmful effects of smoking. Regulations have thus had a positive effect; however, additional efforts are required to motivate more people to quit smoking altogether and to prevent young people from taking up the habit. (Full text of the research articles are available online at www.medpharm.tandfonline.com/ojfp) S Afr Fam Pract 2017; DOI: 10.1080/20786190.2016.1254930

Download Full-text

1462Second hand smoke exposure in pregnant women in Dehradun, Uttrakhand: A Cross Sectional Study

International Journal of Epidemiology ◽

10.1093/ije/dyab168.594 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 50 (Supplement_1) ◽

Author(s):

Twinkle Sharma

Keyword(s):

Pregnant Women ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Smoke Exposure ◽

Second Hand Smoke ◽

Sectional Study ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Public Places ◽

Inadequate Knowledge ◽

Shs Exposure ◽

At Home

Abstract Focus of Presentation Tobacco has always been a major public health issue. Being tobacco a major risk factor for so many diseases, it has also become a matter of concern in current situation of the pandemic. Tobacco smoking is not only harmful for the person who is actively smoking but also to ones who are in the vicinity of that smoke. There is plenty of evidence regarding harmful effects of both tobacco and inhaling tobacco smoke passively. This passive smoke is known as Second Hand Smoke. The aim of the study was to estimate percentage and sources of Second Hand Smoke exposure among pregnant women. It was a cross sectional study conducted among pregnant women registered at a Primary health centre. Findings Out of total participants, 62% were exposed to Second hand smoke. 33% participants were exposed to SHS at home only, 24% at public places only and 5 % were the one exposed both at home and public places. More than half (69%) of the participants were having inadequate knowledge about the harms caused by Second hand smoke Conclusions/Implications More than half of the participants were exposed to Second hand smoke. Inadequate knowledge among the participants about adverse effects of SHS exposure and insufficient Key messages Smoke-free homes should be promoted and health-care providers should ask pregnant women about their exposure to SHS and inform about the harms of SHS exposure during anti natal visits.

Download Full-text

Second-hand smoke exposure in homes with children: assessment of airborne nicotine in the living room and children’s bedroom

Tobacco Control ◽

10.1136/tobaccocontrol-2017-053751 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 27 (4) ◽

pp. 399-406 ◽

Cited By ~ 8

Author(s):

Teresa Arechavala ◽

Xavier Continente ◽

Mónica Pérez-Ríos ◽

Anna Schiaffino ◽

Esteve Fernandez ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Limit Of Detection ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Second Hand Smoke ◽

Living Room ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Public Places ◽

Convenience Sample ◽

Nicotine Concentration ◽

Second Hand Smoke Exposure ◽

At Home

BackgroundThe introduction of ‘smoke-free laws’ has reduced the population’s exposure to second-hand smoke (SHS), although SHS is still an issue in homes and other public places. Children are vulnerable to its health effects, and their greatest exposure occurs at home.ObjectivesTo assess airborne nicotine concentration of the living room and children’s bedroom of homes with children under 13 years of age, and to analyse factors associated with these levels.MethodsWe conducted a cross-sectional study in Barcelona in 2015–2016, selecting a convenience sample from families with at least one child under 13 years of age. The sample comprised 50 families with smokers and 50 without. We measured airborne nicotine concentrations in the living room and children’s bedroom, and, using a questionnaire administered to the parents, collected information about smoking habits at home.ResultsHomes without smokers showed nicotine concentrations below the limit of detection (<0.02 µg/m3), while those with at least one smoker showed 0.16 µg/m3 in the living room and 0.12 µg/m3 in the bedroom. When smoking was allowed inside home, these values increased to 1.04 and 0.48 µg/m3, respectively. Moreover, nicotine concentrations in both rooms were strongly correlated (r=0.89), and higher nicotine levels were associated with the number of cigarettes smoked in the living room, smoking rules, the number of smokers living at home and tobacco smell.ConclusionsHomes with smokers present SHS in the living room and in the children’s bedroom. Therefore, programmes focused on reducing children’s SHS exposure are urgently needed.

Download Full-text

Knowledge and Attitudes of Bar Attendants towards Second-Hand Smoke in Nyarugenge District, Rwanda

Journal of Public Health International ◽

10.14302/issn.2641-4538.jphi-20-3624 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 3 (3) ◽

pp. 1-7

Author(s):

Furaha Mediatrice ◽

Nicholas Ngomi ◽

Erigene Rutayisire

Keyword(s):

Thematic Analysis ◽

Qualitative Data ◽

Descriptive Analysis ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Second Hand Smoke ◽

Work Place ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Public Places ◽

Knowledge And Attitudes ◽

Knowledge And Attitude

Report has shown that there is an increase of respiratory disease among bars attendants over time whereby in 2011, 32% of bars attendants reported respiratory diseases. The purpose of this study was to assess the knowledge and attitudes of bar attendants towards second-hand smoke (SHS) at work place in Nyarugenge District, Rwanda. This was a cross-sectional study using mixed methods of both qualitative and quantitative. A total of 384 bar attendants participated in the study. Quantitative data were analyzed using SPSS version 21 while qualitative data were analyzed using thematic analysis. Descriptive analysis using frequency and percentages was computed. he qualitative data was analyzed using thematic analysis. The majority of respondents (66.4%) were within the age group of 28-37 years, 60.2% of respondents were males, 60.9% of respondents were illiterate, and 57.3% of respondents were single at the time of data collection.The majority (78.6%) of the study respondents knew that Smoking is dangerous to human health. The cited consequences of SHS include air pollution that enter the respiratory system and damage the lungs, dizziness and others. All respondents agreed that people who smoke should not be allowed to smoke in public places. Improving bar attendants’ access to health education on SHS and encouraging continuous and constant exposure would significantly increase the knowledge and attitude levels of bar attendants towards SHS.

Download Full-text

Views and attitudes of university students in Upper Egypt towards youth health centers

Journal of Egyptian Public Health Association ◽

10.1186/s42506-020-00046-x ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 95 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Mohamed M. Abd El-Mawgod ◽

Shimaa A. Elghazally ◽

Heba M. Mohammed ◽

Mariam Roshdy Elkayat ◽

Doaa M. M. Osman

Keyword(s):

University Students ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Health Needs ◽

University Campus ◽

Youth Health ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Upper Egypt ◽

Sexually Transmitted ◽

Laboratory Services ◽

The University

Abstract Background A healthy youth is considered the major human resource for any country development. They are suffering from unmet health needs. Considering these needs and their attitude towards the use of youth health center (YHC) services would help to improve both the quality and quantity of these services. Objectives To identify the students’ perceived health needs and their attitude towards use of the YHCs in Assiut University campus, Upper Egypt a cross-sectional study was conducted among 305 randomly selected university students. Data were collected using an interviewer-administered questionnaire. Results The majority of the students (80%) said that youth have special health needs. The most reported needs were psychological support, health education on different topics including reproductive health and sexually transmitted diseases, and nutritional services respectively. There was a high perception among surveyed students (71.5%) that the existing health services are inadequate for meeting their needs. Counseling, laboratory services, and premarital examination were the most frequently reported services mentioned by youth to be offered in YHCs. The majority (78.1%) preferred the health provider to be of the same sex. Despite the prevailing conservative culture in Upper Egypt, the students had positive attitude towards availability of sexual and reproductive information and establishment of a YHC in the university campus. A low awareness rate (15.1%) about the already existing YHC in university campus was revealed. Conclusion University students perceived that there are unmet needs for youth-specialized services, mainly for providing sexual and reproductive information, and establishment of an on-campus YHC. The study provides important information for policymakers about the perspectives of youth which should be taken into consideration when new YHC are planned and implemented.

Download Full-text

The English and Chinese language versions of the Short Form 12-item Health Survey are equivalent

Health and Quality of Life Outcomes ◽

10.1186/s12955-020-01653-0 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 19 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Daniel Y. T. Fong ◽

Janet Y. H. Wong ◽

Edmond P. H. Choi ◽

K. F. Lam ◽

C. Kwok

Keyword(s):

Measurement Invariance ◽

Health Survey ◽

Short Form ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Measurement Properties ◽

University Campus ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Multiple Group ◽

Confirmatory Factor ◽

The Difference

Abstract Background The Short Form 12-item Health Survey (SF-12v2) was originally developed in English, but it is also available in Hong Kong (HK) Chinese. While both language versions had their measurement properties well assessed in their respective populations, their measurement invariance in scores has not been examined. Therefore, we aimed to assess their measurement invariance. Methods We conducted a cross-sectional study on individuals aged 18 years or older at a university campus. Those who were bilingual in English and Chinese were randomly assigned to self-complete either the standard English or the HK Chinese SF-12v2. Measurement invariance of the two components and eight scales of the SF-12v2 was concluded if the corresponding 90% confidence interval (CI) for the difference between the two language versions entirely fell within the minimal clinically important difference of ± 3 units. Multiple-group confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was also performed. Results A total of 1013 participants completed the SF-12v2 (496 in English and 517 in HK Chinese), with a mean age of 22 years (Range 18–58), and 626 participants (62%) were female. There were no significant differences in demographics. Only the physical and mental components and the mental health (MH) scale had their 90% CIs (0.21 to 1.61, − 1.00 to 0.98, and − 0.86 to 2.84, respectively) completely fall within the ± 3 units. The multiple-group CFA showed partial strict invariance. Conclusions The English and HK Chinese versions of the SF-12v2 can be used in studies with their two components and MH scores pooled in the analysis.

Download Full-text

Inadequate Gestational Weight Gain and Exposure to Second-Hand Smoke during Pregnancy Increase the Risk of Low Birth Weight: A Cross-Sectional Study among Full-Term Infants

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health ◽

10.3390/ijerph18031068 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 18 (3) ◽

pp. 1068

Author(s):

Muliana Edi ◽

Yit Chin ◽

Fui Woon ◽

Geeta Appannah ◽

Poh Lim ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Weight Gain ◽

Birth Weight ◽

Pregnant Women ◽

Medical Records ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Second Hand Smoke ◽

Sectional Study ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Shs Exposure ◽

At Home

Despite the advancement of the healthcare system, low birth weight (LBW) remains as one of the leading causes of under-five mortality. This cross-sectional study aimed to determine the prevalence of LBW and its associated factors among 483 third trimester pregnant women recruited from six selected public health clinics in the Federal Territory of Kuala Lumpur and the state of Selangor, Malaysia. Pregnant women were interviewed for information on socio-demographic characteristics, smoking behaviour, and second-hand smoke (SHS) exposure at home and in the workplace. Information on the obstetrical history and prenatal care visits history were retrieved from the maternal medical records, while infant’s birth outcomes were retrieved from infant medical records. The prevalence of LBW (<2.5 kg) in infants was 10.4%, with a mean birth weight of 3.0 [standard deviation (SD) 0.4] kg. Results from the multivariable logistic regression model showed that inadequate weight gained during pregnancy [odds ratio (OR) = 2.41, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.18–4.90] and exposure to SHS at home (OR = 1.92, 95% CI = 1.03–3.55) were significantly associated with LBW. In conclusion, pregnant women should monitor their rate of weight gain throughout pregnancy and avoid SHS exposure at home to reduce the risk of delivering LBW infants.

Download Full-text

Concordance between fasting plasma glucose and HbA1c in the diagnosis of diabetes in black South African adults: a cross-sectional study

BMJ Open ◽

10.1136/bmjopen-2020-046060 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (6) ◽

pp. e046060

Author(s):

Alisha N Wade ◽

Nigel J Crowther ◽

Shafika Abrahams-Gessel ◽

Lisa Berkman ◽

Jaya A George ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Insulin Resistance ◽

South African ◽

Plasma Glucose ◽

Fat Distribution ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Secondary Outcome ◽

Sectional Study ◽

South African Population ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Black South African

ObjectivesWe investigated concordance between haemoglobin A1c (HbA1c)-defined diabetes and fasting plasma glucose (FPG)-defined diabetes in a black South African population with a high prevalence of obesity.DesignCross-sectional study.SettingRural South African population-based cohort.Participants765 black individuals aged 40–70 years and with no history of diabetes.Primary and secondary outcome measuresThe primary outcome measure was concordance between HbA1c-defined diabetes and FPG-defined diabetes. Secondary outcome measures were differences in anthropometric characteristics, fat distribution and insulin resistance (measured using Homoeostatic Model Assessment of Insulin Resistance (HOMA-IR)) between those with concordant and discordant HbA1c/FPG classifications and predictors of HbA1c variance.ResultsThe prevalence of HbA1c-defined diabetes was four times the prevalence of FPG-defined diabetes (17.5% vs 4.2%). Classification was discordant in 15.7% of participants, with 111 individuals (14.5%) having HbA1c-only diabetes (kappa 0.23; 95% CI 0.14 to 0.31). Median body mass index, waist and hip circumference, waist-to-hip ratio, subcutaneous adipose tissue and HOMA-IR in participants with HbA1c-only diabetes were similar to those in participants who were normoglycaemic by both biomarkers and significantly lower than in participants with diabetes by both biomarkers (p<0.05). HOMA-IR and fat distribution explained additional HbA1c variance beyond glucose and age only in women.ConclusionsConcordance was poor between HbA1c and FPG in diagnosis of diabetes in black South Africans, and participants with HbA1c-only diabetes phenotypically resembled normoglycaemic participants. Further work is necessary to determine which of these parameters better predicts diabetes-related morbidities in this population and whether a population-specific HbA1c threshold is necessary.

Download Full-text

Cross-Study of Malaria Prevalence in History, Bed Net Utilization, and Knowledge about the Disease among Tanzanian College Students

Malaria Research and Treatment ◽

10.1155/2018/8137051 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 2018 ◽

pp. 1-5

Author(s):

Yakobo Nyahoga ◽

Zanda Bochkaeva

Keyword(s):

Malaria Prevention ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Malaria Prevalence ◽

Bed Nets ◽

Bed Net ◽

Prevention Measures ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

University Campuses ◽

High Prevalence ◽

Two Factors

University campuses are potential reservoirs of infectious diseases, but they are not in the research focus. It is obvious that the use of malaria preventive tools is extremely necessary in campus conditions in endemic countries. This study is the first malaria survey, conducted in a student campus in Tanzania. This cross-sectional study uncovered a surprisingly high prevalence of malaria history among students: 89,4% of 246 random respondents assume that they had malaria in history, among whom 145 (58,9%) suffered from the disease during the last year. And although students are relatively confident about the vector, parasite, and prevention measures of the disease, only 44,7% of the students use bed nets and 4,5% use a body spray or ointment daily. The others seldom use spray or ointment or do not care about the problem at all. This situation was found to be associated with two factors, financial and educational. Current results show that students are relatively educated on malaria, but they do not follow the malaria prevention guidance. It has become clear that at least proper informational propaganda of bed net use is required in Tanzanian university campuses.

Download Full-text

Knowledge and attitude about tobacco use among school personnel in Bangalore South-a Cross Sectional Study.

RGUHS Journal of Dental Sciences ◽

10.26715/rjds.11_1_5 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 11 (1) ◽

pp. 14-20

Author(s):

Dr. Padma K Bhat ◽

Dr. Sushma S G ◽

Dr. Jayachandra M Y

Keyword(s):

Tobacco Use ◽

School Personnel ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Second Hand Smoke ◽

Cluster Sampling ◽

Sectional Study ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Significance Level ◽

Knowledge And Attitude ◽

The Government

Background: Tobacco use is so addictive among youth and is one of the global epidemics which require constant monitoring and timely appropriate action to prevent usage. School personnel play one of the main roles in taking appropriate action. Aim: To assess knowledge and attitude of tobacco use pattern among school personnel in Bangalore city. Material and Methods: A cross sectional study was carried out for a period of six months from May to October 2017. Stratified cluster sampling was done to include the government and English medium schools in Bangalore south. All the school personnel in the selected schools were eligible to participate. The data collection tool was GSPS questionnaire (WHO FCTC Tobacco Control). Chi-square test and Fisher’s Exact Test was used to demonstrate cross tabulation with confidence intervals. Significance level of 0.05 was considered for statistical analyses Results : Majority of both Kannada and English medium school personnel did not use any forms of tobacco. Both the English and Kannada medium school personnel were aware of the addictive effect of tobacco, but majority of the Kannada medium personnel said second hand smoke is not harmful as compared to their counterparts. Conclusion: Tobacco use among school personnel was low. Most of the school personnel were informed about the addictive nature of tobacco.

Download Full-text