Smoking is a serious health problem and most important avoidable causes of death in world. There are over 6000 chemical constituents in tobacco smoke including a known toxic constituents like Formaldehyde, Acetaldehyde, Hydrogen cyanide, Benzene ,etc. About 1-5% of smokers will developed cardiovascular disease as well as a variety of smoke-associated malignancies, such as lung, gastric, pancreatic and bladder cancers. Tobacco use affects nonsmokers as well as smokers, It is especially harmful to children ,causing respiratory and other health problems.
Smoking constitutes a major public health problem worldwide, studying the spread and pattern of tobacco use among the general population is crucial for the proper design of health policy and strategy in any country. Additional insight into the smoking epidemic can be obtained from studying specific subgroups of interest within the population, such as adolescents and health professionals who act as role models in issues related to health, and people turn to them for advice and consultation. A physician’s own smoking status appears to be a critically important determinant of how their patient’s tobacco use is addressed. Physician smokers appear to be less willing to inquire about tobacco use, to advise cessation, and to provide evidence-based assistance when compared to their non-smoking counterparts.
The aim of the study is to evaluate the prevalence and attitudes of tobacco use in the medical professionals and students and its corresponding health hazards in active and passive smokers. During eight weeks period (April and May 2011), 2400 medical professionals and students in Benha University Hospitals and Benha Faculty of Medicine were surveyed for a study on their smoking habits and attitudes towards smoking and its corresponding health hazards. The prevalence of smoking habit was 42.5% and 99.2% of the current smokers were males and 0.8% were females. The percentage of ex-smokers was 2.1% and non smokers was 55.4% and the prevalence rate of regular smoking among physicians was 40.8%, among medical students was 57.7% and finely among nurses was 19.1%. The rate was highest among the physicians with clinical specialty 71.4% while the rate among those with academic specialty was 17.5% and the rate among house officer was 11.1% .And according to the clinical specialties, the prevalence rate of smoking was highest among pediatrician 12.3% followed by gynecologist 10.3% and anesthesiologist 10%.As regarding the starting age of smoking, it was found that 36% of smokers started smoking at the age of less than 18 years (school age) and 52.8% started at the age of 18-21 years (university age). The most favorite type of smoking is cigarette smoking (55.1%) however, 31.8% of cigarette smokers smoked water pipes as well, representing a new trend of smoking habit nowadays. Among cigarette smokers 35.3% were heavy smokers (more than 20 cig/day), 25.5% were moderate smokers (10-20 cig/day) and 39.2% were mild smokers (less than 10 cig/day). Regarding the motives of smoking, to cope with stress and personal troubles was very important for 59.3% and to help in relaxation was quite important for 60% while curiosity and personality show was not important for 51% and 69.4% respectively and their beliefs against the smoking, thinking that smoking is prohibited in religion was very important to 88.5%, harm to their health was reported by 70.9% as a not important thing. 85.1% feel harm and have health problems due to smoking. The survey showed a high percentage of attempts to quit smoking (79.7%) and only 5.1% tried nicotine replacement therapy. 67.0% said that they suffered from passive smoking effects on their health. Regarding exposure to secondhand smoke , 67.2% exposed to it in Benha university hospitals and 37.4% in the Benha faculty of medicine. Consultation activities related to smoking , 76.0% making an advice to quit. 90.5% agree with the law of banning smoking in transport media. 97.5% agree with the law of banning smoking in Benha university hospitals and Benha faculty of medicine.
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