The Comparison of Susceptibility to SARS-CoV-2 Infection between Pediatric and Adults

SARS-CoV-2 causes coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and is responsible for the recent pandemic in the world. It has been recently recognized as a challenge for public health and a significant cause of severe illness in all age groups. Young children and older people are susceptible to SARS-CoV-2 infection. However, children usually present mild symptoms compared to adult patients. The relationship between age, severity, and COVID-19 transmission is compared to determine whether there is any reasonable relationship between age and COVID-19. It should be mentioned that some risk factors may increase the probability of developing severe COVID-19 by advancing age, such as pathophysiological changes in the respiratory system, angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 expression in the nasopharynx, and smoking. Susceptibility to SARS-CoV-2 infection is independent of age, but the mortality rate of COVID-19 depends on age.

Socio-environmental and psychosocial predictors of smoking susceptibility among adolescents with contrasting socio-cultural characteristics: a comparative analysis

Background Despite a steady decline in adolescent smoking globally, it remains a prevalent risk factor for non-communicable disease. Previous research points to differences in socio-environmental and psychosocial risk factors for smoking and how they vary across different settings with disparate social and cultural characteristics. As a result, smoking rates have remained disproportionately higher in some settings while decreasing in others. This study explored the socio-environmental and psychosocial risk factors for smoking susceptibility in a high-income and upper-middle income setting. Methods Cross-sectional data were obtained from 1,573 male and female adolescents aged 11-15 years who completed self-administered questionnaires in schools in Northern Ireland and Bogotá, Colombia. Using logistic regression analysis, we examined how socio-environmental and psychosocial predictors of smoking susceptibility compared across the two countries. Results In Northern Ireland, reduced odds of smoking susceptibility were significantly associated with less family smoking (OR: 0.64, 95% CI: 0.41-1.00); having access to information about smoking in school (OR: 0.75, 95% CI: 0.59-0.96); negative attitudes towards smoking (OR: 0.35, 95% CI: 0.23-0.51); higher levels of openness (OR: 0.59, 95% CI: 0.50-0.69); and higher levels of self-reported wellbeing (OR: 0.57, 95% CI: 0.44-0.74). Increased odds of smoking susceptibility were associated with reporting less smoking of a mother (OR: 1.37, 95% CI: 1.06-1.76); higher levels of extraversion (OR: 1.40, 95% CI: 1.04-1.90); and receiving pocket money (OR: 1.20, 95% CI: 1.06-1.37). In Bogotá, reduced odds of smoking susceptibility were significantly associated with reporting less smoking among friends (OR: 0.86, 95% CI: 0.76-0.98); higher levels of self-efficacy (OR: 0.58, 95% CI: 0.40-0.83); greater perceived behavioural control to quit smoking (OR: 0.71, 95% CI: 0.56-0.90); and lower levels of truancy (OR: 0.69, 95% CI: 0.52-0.92). In Bogotá, no factors were associated with increased odds of smoking susceptibility in the final model. Conclusions The findings illustrate that there were differences in predictors of adolescent smoking susceptibility across the two settings. By using a comparative approach we demonstrate that smoking interventions and policies must be sensitive to the cultural and normative context within which they are implemented.

Effect of Hyperhomocysteinemia on a Murine Model of Smoke-Induced Pulmonary Emphysema.

Hyperhomocysteinemia (HHcy) was reported to enhance endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress and subsequent apoptosis in several cells. However, the precise mechanisms of smoking susceptibility associated with HHcy has not been fully elucidated. This study included seven- to nine-week-old C57BL6 male mice induced with HHcy and were exposed to cigarette smoke (CS). A549 cells (human alveolar epithelial cell line) were cultured with homocysteine and were exposed to cigarette smoke extract (CSE) to observe cell viability and expression of proteins related to the ER stress. After 6 months of CS exposure, pulmonary emphysema was more severely induced in the group under the condition of HHcy compared to that in the control group. The apoptotic A549 cells increased as Hcy concentration increased and that was enhanced by CSE. Protein expression levels of ER stress markers were significantly increased after simultaneous stimulation. Notably, vitamin B12 and folate supplementation improved ER stress after simultaneous stimulation of A549 cells. HHcy exacerbated smoking-induced pulmonary emphysema and ER stress-induced alveolar cell apoptosis. ER stress in alveolar cells was reversed by vitamin B12 and folate supplementation, suggesting that HHcy could be the new therapeutic target to improve smoking susceptibility.

Susceptibility to smoking and associated factors among the youth in central and eastern European countries.

Background Tobacco use among young people still remains a major public health problem. The aim of this study was to examine the association between a variety of factors and susceptibility to smoking initiation and experimentation among the youth from central and eastern European countries. Methods The data used in the current analysis, focusing on current non-smokers, is available from the Global Youth Tobacco Survey, which was performed in five countries (the Czech Republic (2016), n = 3191; Slovakia (2016), n = 3178; Slovenia (2017), n = 2255; Romania (2017), n = 4681; Lithuania (2018), n = 2260). Results Among the never smokers, nearly a quarter of the students were susceptible to smoking in 4 of 5 countries (16% of those susceptible to smoking were identified in Romania). Moreover, 60% of the students in the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Slovenia, and about 50% of the students in Lithuania and Romania were found to be vulnerable to smoking experimentation (an analysis among ever smokers). The multiple regression models provided results that are consistent among all the examined countries, with the following factors identified as significant correlates of smoking initiation and experimentation: being girls, having more money available for own expenses, experiencing exposure to passive smoking in public places, as well as indicating peer smoking. Moreover, adolescents who have declared lack of antismoking education and knowledge on harmful effects of passive smoking, those who saw people using tobacco on TV, in videos or in movies as well as advertising of tobacco products at point of sales were susceptible to smoking. Finally, the students who shared an opinion that smoking helped people feel more comfortable at celebrations, parties or in other social gatherings were at higher risk of smoking susceptibility. Conclusions A high proportion of the youth from central and eastern European countries is susceptible to smoking. Personal and social factors and those related to educational and policy issues were strongly and consistently correlated with smoking susceptibility. These factors should be considered when designing and implementing anti-smoking activities among young people.

Factors associated with smoking susceptibility among high school students in western Spain

The Expanded Susceptibility to Smoking Index (ESSI) is based on the combination of susceptibility to smoking and curiosity about smoking. The ESSI can identify young people who are at risk of starting to smoke cigarettes and related products. The objective of this study was to analyse the ESSI results and to examine factors associated with ESSI scores in students between 12 and 16 years of age. Sociodemographic, social/environmental and personal variables were analysed, and the ESSI value was determined for non-smoking students recruited from three schools in western Spain. Regression models were used to examine the factors associated with smoking for the entire sample and the factors associated with ESSI scores in the non-smoking population. Of the 377 participants who were analysed, 20.4% were smokers. Among the non-smokers, 53.5% and 55.3% presented medium–high ESSI scores for cigarettes and e-cigarettes, respectively, and 39.8% presented medium–high ESSI scores for hookah use. A higher ESSI score was associated with greater exposure to people smoking in the home, having more friends who smoke, alcohol consumption, and a higher impulsivity scale score. These findings reinforce the importance of reducing peer pressure and suggest the important role of resolve under conditions of positive affect on reducing impulsivity. Approaches based on self-efficacy could be addressed in preventive programmes developed in educational settings.

Assessment of smoking susceptibility among Hanoi highschool-student and some related factors, 2019

Nowadays, the smoking rate among adolescents in Vietnam is still high regardless of many regulations have been implemented. One of the predictors for smoking behaviour in adolescents is smoking susceptibility. This study aimed to describe the rate of students smoking susceptibility and some associated factors. Method: This cross-sectional study was conducted to assess students from 14 randomly selected high schools in five districts in Hanoi. The questionnaire was developed based on “Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System” (YRBSS) tool. Results: There were 3272 students completed the survey. 4.9% (95% CI: 4.2 – 5.8%) of the students were susceptible to smoking. In the urban areas, this rate was 7.7% and in the suburban areas was 3.4%. While being male (OR=2.79, 95% CI: 2.29 – 3.41), being 16-17 years old (OR=1.25, 95% CI: 1.01 – 1.56), studying in urban areas (OR=1.41, 95% CI: 1.15 – 1.74) and seeing other people smoke, including family members (OR=1.39, 95% CI: 1.14 – 1.70), teachers (OR=1.8, 95% CI: 1.23 – 2.63), friends (OR=2.33, 95% CI: 1.88 – 2.89), and school staffs (OR=1.63, 95% CI: 1.17 – 2.26) smoking was associated to susceptibility to smoking behavior, attending anti-tobacco course (OR=1.31, 95% CI: 1.06 – 1.62) or seeing anti-tobacco messages (OR=1,28, 95% CI: 1,005 – 1,63) reduced the likelihood of smoking susceptibility. Conclusion: Thus, it is necessary to initiate anti-tobacco intervention programs and implement more extreme regulations to reduce susceptibility to smoking rates in adolescents and diminish smoking prevalence in adolescents. Keywords: Susceptibility, smoking, adolescent, high-school, Ha Noi

Reactions to, and trial intentions for, three dissuasive cigarette designs: a cross-sectional survey of adolescents in Scotland

ObjectivesThere has been growing academic and policy interest in opportunities to decrease the appeal of cigarette sticks, such as making them an unattractive colour or requiring them to display a health warning. We therefore explored reactions to, and trial intentions for, three ‘dissuasive’ cigarette designs among adolescents in Scotland.MethodsA cross-sectional survey with 12–17 year olds in Scotland (n=594) was conducted between November 2017 and November 2018. Participants were shown one ‘standard’ cigarette (imitation cork filter with white paper casing) and three dissuasive cigarettes: (1) a cigarette with the warning ‘smoking kills’; (2) a cigarette with the warning ‘toxic’ and a skull and cross-bones image and (3) a dark green cigarette. Participants rated each cigarette on nine five-point reaction measures (eg, appealing/unappealing or attractive/unattractive). A composite reaction score was computed for each cigarette, which was binary coded (overall negative reactions vs neutral/positive reactions). Participants also indicated whether they would try each cigarette (coded: Yes/No). Demographics, smoking status and smoking susceptibility were also measured.ResultsMore participants had negative reactions to the dark green (93% of adolescents), ‘smoking kills’ (94%) and ‘toxic’ (96%) cigarettes, compared with the standard cigarette (85%). For all three dissuasive designs, Chi-square tests found that negative reactions were more likely among younger adolescents (vs older adolescents), never-smokers (vs ever smokers) and non-susceptible never-smokers (vs susceptible never-smokers). Most participants indicated that they would not try any of the cigarettes (range: 84%–91%).ConclusionDissuasive cigarettes present an opportunity to further reduce the appeal of smoking among adolescents.