Knowledge, attitude, and usage pattern of tobacco among high school students in Nay Pyi Taw, Myanmar

Preventable Deaths Attributable to Second-Hand Smoke in Southeast Asia-Analysis of the Global Burden of Disease Study 2019

Objectives

In addition to harms caused to individuals who smoke, second-hand smoke (SHS or passive smoke) is an important public health issue. We aim to estimate the extent of preventable deaths due to tobacco and SHS exposure in Southeast Asia.

Methods

Data were from the Global Burden of Disease Study 2019. We analysed data from Southeast Asia, including Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Maldives, Mauritius, Myanmar, Philippines, Seychelles, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Timor-Leste, and Vietnam.

Results

In 2019, there were 728,500 deaths attributable to tobacco in Southeast Asia, with 128,200 deaths attributed to SHS exposure. The leading causes of preventable deaths were ischemic heart disease, stroke, diabetes mellitus, lower respiratory infections, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, tracheal, bronchus, and lung cancer. Among deaths attributable to tobacco, females had higher proportions of deaths attributable to SHS exposure than males in Southeast Asia.

Conclusion

The burden of preventable deaths in a year due to SHS exposure in Southeast Asia is substantial. The implementation and enforcement of smoke-free policies should be prioritized to reduce the disease burden attributed to passive smoking in Southeast Asia.

Awareness and Perceptions on Health Warning Labels on Cigarette Packs among Smokers: A Cross-Sectional Study

Backgrounds

Tobacco use is the leading preventable cause of premature deaths. Tobacco control remains a top priority, and health warning labels (HWLs) are one of the recommended methods. This study is aimed at examining the awareness and perceptions of HWLs on cigarette packs among smokers.

Methods

A cross-sectional study was conducted among 240 smokers who were randomly recruited from three townships in Mandalay in 2018. A face-to-face interview was done using a questionnaire. Multivariate logistic regression was used to analyse the data.

Results

About half were 18-40 years old; the majority were males (96.3%) and smokers (93.4%). Nearly all respondents noticed both pictorial warning and text messages, and about half could identify the current size of HWLs. Most of the smokers generally had positive perceptions and opinions on HWLS, and they strongly supported it. About 75% intended to reduce the number of cigarettes, and 18% were willing to quit within 6 months. Those who desired to reduce the number of cigarettes were more likely to quit within 6 months (aOR = 7.6, 95% CI 1.6-35.9 and aOR = 19.6, 95% CI 13.0-294.7 for those who had a little and strong desire, respectively).

Conclusion

Awareness status and perceptions of the respondents were acceptable, and HWLs have motivated smokers to quit smoking. The Tobacco Control Program needs to strengthen the tobacco control law that prohibits selling loosies in order to maximize the benefits of HWLs.

Cross-sectional study on tobacco advertising, promotion and sponsorship (TAPS) and violations of tobacco sale regulations in Myanmar: do these factors affect current tobacco use among Myanmar high school students?

OBJECTIVES

To examine the associations of current tobacco use with tobacco advertising, promotion and sponsorship (TAPS), and illicit tobacco sales exposures among Myanmar high school students.

DESIGN

A quantitative, cross-sectional study.

SETTING

Seven high schools from both urban and rural areas of four states and regions in Myanmar.

PARTICIPANTS

In total, 1174 high school students (482 males and 692 females) were interviewed using a self-administered questionnaire.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE

Current tobacco use of participants, defined as using any kind of smoked or smokeless tobacco product at least one occasion within the past 30 days.

RESULTS

The prevalence of TAPS exposure was 90.9% among high school students in Myanmar. Current tobacco use was positively associated with being over 14 years old (adjusted OR (AOR) 9.81; 95% CI 4.54 to 21.19), being male (AOR 28.06; 95% CI 13.29 to 59.25), exposure to any kind of TAPS (AOR 6.59; 95% CI 2.33 to 18.64), having seen any smoked tobacco product for sale inside or within 100 feet of the school premises (AOR 4.17; 95% CI 1.65 to 10.58), having seen the sale or gifting of any smoked tobacco product to minors (AOR 6.46; 95% CI 2.18 to 19.12) and having seen the sale or distribution of any smoked tobacco product by minors (AOR 2.42; 95% CI 1.42 to 4.10). Having ever received health education about tobacco use (AOR 0.45; 95% CI 0.27 to 0.78), or having a higher perception score of tobacco use (AOR 0.17; 95% CI 0.10 to 0.30) were negatively associated with current tobacco use.

CONCLUSIONS

There was an alarming prevalence of TAPS exposure among Myanmar high school students. TAPS exposure and violations of tobacco sale regulations were strong risk factors for current tobacco use among Myanmar high school students, while health education about tobacco products was reported as an effective protective factor. Specific smokeless tobacco sale regulations for minors are needed immediately in Myanmar.

Smoking behavior, knowledge, attitude, and practice among patients attending primary healthcare clinics in Dubai, United Arab Emirates

Introduction:

Tobacco smoking is one of the largest and highly preventable public health threats worldwide. In the United Arab Emirates, around 15.7% adult males and 2.4% adult females are current tobacco smokers. Primary healthcare clinics (PHCs) have an important role in battling the smoking epidemic by raising awareness among patients attending them daily. The aim of our study was to assess the knowledge, attitude, and practice regarding smoking among patients attending PHCs.

Methods:

A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted on patients attending primary healthcare clinics in Dubai. Data was collected using a pretested self-administered questionnaire developed by the researchers and was adopted from the Global Adult Tobacco Survey.

Results:

Among a total of 500 patients, around 66.4% were never smokers, 23.6% were current smokers, and 10.0% were ex-smokers. The age of first time smoking among current smokers was the highest between 18 and 19 years, with friends being the source of first attempt of smoking (53.4%). Around 53.4% of the current smokers had poor knowledge, while most of never and ex-smokers had a good knowledge level (47.9%, 70.0%), respectively (P value for both <0.05). Majority (71.2%) of current smokers had negative attitude toward anti-smoking statements, while never and ex-smokers had a positive attitude (54.5% and 58.0%), respectively (P value <0.05).

Conclusion:

The majority of never and ex-smokers had good knowledge level and positive attitude toward anti-smoking statements; however, poor knowledge level and negative attitude was found more among current smokers.