Smoking status and levels of knowledge regarding cigarettes among primary school teachers

Prevalence of Tobacco Use among School Teachers and Effect of Training on Tobacco Use in Western Turkey

BACKGROUND

Tobacco consumption is still a prevalent issue. Given that teachers are respected in society, they have a great responsibility for tobacco control. This study examines, using the Transtheoretical Model (TTM), the prevalence of tobacco use among teachers and their different stages of tobacco use. It also evaluates teachers' views on smoking and the effectiveness of training on tobacco use.

METHODS

This study is quasi-experimental. Pre-test and post-test were used first with a cross-sectional group, then with a single group to determine the frequency of tobacco use. The research participation complied with the voluntary principles and the participation rate was 84.9%. The research sample comprised 450 teachers working at schools (N=17) under the Kemalpasa Directorate of Education. The data form contained 29 questions about socio-demographic characteristics and smoking habits. The Fagerstrom Test for Nicotine Dependence (FTND), Smoking Decisional Balance Scale (SDBS), and the Stage of Change were used. A pre-test was also administered, and training was given between January 13 and March 4, 2014. After the training sessions, two short messages (SMS) were sent on March 12 and March 19, 2014. A post-test was administered between April 1 and May 21, 2014. The relevant institutions and participants gave the requisite permission for the data used in this study. Percentage distribution, dependent t-tests and chi-square tests were used to evaluate the research data.

RESULTS

The median age of the teachers was 37.49±7.84. The teachers' mean score for the pre-test of FTND was 5.7±2.03, and their mean score for the post-test was 3.25±2.07. Post-test scores were remarkably lower than the pre-test scores. It was found that teachers' mean scores for SDBS were different before and after training. After training, anti-smoking attitudes increased (pros-cons scores: pre-test: -3.64±4.68, post-test: -11.25±5.48). The training helped the entire group to make progress in the process change.

CONCLUSION

After training on "the health effects of smoking", teachers' anti-smoking attitudes rose on the smoking decision balance scale, their nicotine dependency was reduced, and they were able to move forward in a positive direction.

Prevalence of tobacco smoking among school teachers in Botswana

BACKGROUND

Tobacco is a leading cause of death worldwide, and nearly 80% of all smokers live in low to middle income countries. Previous research has suggested that smoking rates vary by occupation, with relatively low rates commonly seen among educators. Despite this fact, little is known about the smoking habits of teachers in Botswana. The objective of this study, therefore, was to investigate prevalence and correlates of tobacco use among school teachers in Botswana.

RESULTS

The prevalence of smoking among school teachers in Botswana was found to be relatively low. Of the 1732 participants in the study, only 3.2% reported being current smokers, 5.3% were ex-smokers and 91.5% had never smoked. Smoking was more common among male teachers when compared to females, being 10.8% and 0.4%, respectively. Factors such as school level, marital status and body mass index were found to be positively associated with tobacco smoking, whereas age, length of employment and weekly working hours were not.

CONCLUSION

This study suggests that Botswana school teachers have a low prevalence of tobacco smoking. While this result may be attributed to tobacco control measures that have been put in place, there is still need to put in place systems to monitor compliance and programs to help those who want to quit smoking. Such protocols would represent a major step forward in further reducing the prevalence of smoking in the education profession.

Effect of smoke-free legislation on smoking cessation rates in teachers in Manisa, Turkey

OBJECTIVE

This study investigated the attitudes of Turkish adults towards the ban on smoking in public areas and compared annual smoking cessation rates before (pre-2009) and after (post-2009) the ban became law, using data from a survey of teachers.

METHODS

A self-reported questionnaire was used to collect data from teachers in Manisa, Turkey. Annual smoking rates were calculated. Joinpoint regression analysis was used to identify when a significant change occurred in the annual smoking cessation rate.

RESULTS

Questionnaire response rate was 79.6% (579/727); 47.8% (277) of respondents were male. Smoking prevalence among men and women was 32.7% and 24.7%, respectively, and 97.3% of nonsmokers and 75.5% of current everyday smokers supported the law changes. Results of the Joinpoint analysis showed no significant change in annual smoking cessation rate between 2001-2002 and 2006-2007; but there were significant reductions in smoking rates between 2007-2008 and 2010-2011.

CONCLUSIONS

Teachers in Turkey have a positive attitude to the law on smoking. The smoking cessation rate in teachers was significantly increased by changes in legislation.

Setting a good example? Changes in smoking prevalence among key occupational groups in New Zealand: evidence from the 1981 and 2006 censuses

INTRODUCTION

Role modeling by smokers may influence smoking among children and young adults. Most work on smoking by occupation has focused on health workers. A unique opportunity to explore smoking by occupation is presented in New Zealand (NZ) due to inclusion of a smoking status question in most national censuses since 1976. Our aim was to assess trends in smoking prevalence among potential role model occupational groups in NZ.

METHODS

Adult smoking status by occupation was obtained from the 1981 census (N = 1,321,323) and 2006 census (N = 1,744,479). Subjects were aggregated into 5 broad groups of potential role-model occupations: teachers, uniformed services, health-related occupations, public figures, and sportspeople/entertainers. Age and sex-standardized current smoking prevalences were calculated using the 2006 NZ employed population as the reference standard.

RESULTS

Standardized smoking prevalence among the employed population was 34.5% in 1981 and had declined 37% in relative terms and 12.8% in absolute terms to 21.7% in 2006. Relative declines in smoking prevalence between 1981 and 2006 ranged from 35% to 60% among the role model occupational groups and absolute declines from 8.3% to 19.9%. Māori had higher smoking prevalence and lower relative declines in prevalence in each occupational group from 1981 to 2006, compared with non-Māori. Specific occupations mostly had low smoking prevalences--particularly doctors and teachers. But some role model occupations had high crude smoking prevalences in 2006 (up to 47%).

CONCLUSIONS

Persisting high smoking prevalence among some occupational groups suggest that additional targeted smoking cessation support for role model occupational groups may be justified.

Prevalence of smoking and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease amongst teachers working in Kocaeli, Turkey

Aim

To evaluate smoking and COPD prevalence amongst teachers working in the schools of Kocaeli City, Turkey.

Method

In this cross-sectional study, a questionnaire focusing on respiratory symptoms and smoking habits was administered to all participants who accepted to join the study.All subjects also underwent a physical examination and a pulmonary function test performed with portable spirometer. According to GOLD criteria, subjects who had post-bronchodilator FEV₁/FVC < 70% and negative reversibility test were classified as COPD.

Results

A total of 685 teachers were included [female n = 307 (45%), male n = 378 (55%)] with mean age 38.9 ± 8.9 years. Smoking habit was evaluated in 660 subjects: 291 (44.1%) were smokers, 252 (38.2%) were non-smokers and 117 (17.7%) were ex-smokers. Pulmonary function test was available in 651 subjects and 510 (78.3%) were defined as normal on spirometric analysis. Small airway obstruction was found in 115 of the cases (17.7%) in whom FEF_25-75 level was found to be lower than 70% predicted. FEV₁/FVC level was lower than 70% in 16 subjects (2.5%). Five subjects who had positive reversibility test were excluded from the study. The remaining 11 subjects who were considered as COPD consisted of 2 (18%) females and 9 (82%) males. Six of these subjects were aged over 40 years.

Conclusion

Spirometry has an important role in early diagnosis of COPD. Spirometric evaluation of cases with risk factors for COPD could be helpful in diagnosing patients before the progressive decline in lung function begins. Further studies are needed to evaluate whether the interventional strategies at this stage such as smoking cessation could prevent the progression of disease.

Health knowledge and perception of risks among Chinese smokers and non-smokers: findings from the Wave 1 ITC China Survey

BACKGROUND

Awareness of health risks of smoking is strongly associated with smoking behaviour. However, there are no population-based studies of smoking-related health knowledge in China.

OBJECTIVE

The aim of current study was to use a population-based sample from the International Tobacco Control China Wave 1 survey to examine variations between current, former and never smokers' health knowledge about smoking and the impact of health knowledge awareness on smokers' intention to quit.

METHODS

A face-to-face interview was conducted with 5986 adult smokers and non-smokers from six cities in China. Respondents were asked whether they believed smoking causes heart disease, stroke, impotence, lung cancer, emphysema, stained teeth, premature ageing in smokers and lung cancer in non-smokers. Current smokers were also asked additional questions on how smoking affects their current and future health as well as whether they had plans to quit smoking and if they believe they would have health benefit from quitting.

FINDINGS

The overall awareness of health risks of smoking in China was low compared to developed countries. Current smokers in China were less likely than non-smokers and former smokers to acknowledge the consequences of smoking. Current smokers who were more aware of the health consequences of smoking were more likely to intend to quit smoking.

CONCLUSION

These findings highlight the need to increase awareness about the health effects of smoking in China, particularly among current smokers to increase quitting.