• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.14 no.6
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• pp.3635-3639
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• 2013

Background: Conclusive evidence exists about associations between several life-threatening diseases and passive smoking. The objective of our study was to investigate the prevalence of passive smoking among Iranian dental students, to assess their attitudes towards tobacco control programs, and to explore the association between these two and tobacco use. Methods: In eight randomly selected dental schools, all fourth-year students were surveyed by means of a self-administered anonymous questionnaire in December 2010. The Global Health Professions Student Survey (GHPSS) questionnaire served as the data collection instrument. Exposure to environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) was assessed during the previous week. Chi-square test, logistic regression, and linear regression served for statistical analyses. Results: The response rate was 84% (325 students, 66% female). Exposure to ETS was reported by 74% of the participants. Men were significantly more exposed to ETS at home, and in other places than were women. Most of the students agreed on queried tobacco control policies. The lowest agreement (72%) was for banning smoking in coffee shops and teahouses. A logistic regression model showed that adjusted for gender, passive smoking at home is significantly associated with current tobacco use. A linear regression model suggested that the total score of attitudes is significantly associated with passive smoking at home, passive smoking in other places, tobacco use experience, and current tobacco use. Conclusions: The study reports high exposure to ETS among dental students, and its association with current tobacco use and attitudes towards tobacco control.

• Research in Community and Public Health Nursing
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.33-43
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• 2014

Purpose: To evaluate the influence of experiences of witnessing tobacco advertising and preferences of tobacco companies' social responsibility (CSR) on current and future smoking intentions in adolescents. Methods: Data were collected from 700 adolescents living in Korea representing 7 metropolitan cities and 8 provinces in the method of proportional random sampling. The Gallup's data collection system was adopted using 1:1 face to face interviews. The witness of tobacco advertising was determined by 'yes', or 'no' responses to three survey items and to four survey items for preferences of tobacco CSR. For statistical analysis, ${\chi}^2$ test, Fisher's exact test and logistic regression were used. Results: 98.4% of the adolescents had experiences of witnessing tobacco advertising. POP (OR=103.44, 95% CI: 8.22~1301.45) and magazine advertisement (OR=6.07, 95% CI: 1.34~22.58) had a significant effect on their current smoking. Also, POP (${\beta}$=.24, p<.001) and movie advertisement (${\beta}$=.42, p<.001) had a significant effect on their future smoking intentions. As for the preferences of tobacco CSR, cultural-art support activities (${\beta}$=.15, p=.025) and environmental purifying campaigns (${\beta}$=-.15, p=.034) had a significant effect on their future smoking intentions. Conclusion: Witness of tobacco advertising and positive responses to tobacco CSR are associated with current and future smoking intentions in adolescents.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.14 no.11
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• pp.6965-6969
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• 2013

Background: Tobacco consumption has been identified as the single biggest cause of inequality in morbidity and mortality. Understanding pattern of socioeconomic equalities in tobacco consumption in India will help in designing targeted public health control measures. Materials and Methods: Nationally representative data from the India Global Adult Tobacco Survey (GATS) conducted in 2009-2010 was analyzed. The survey provided information on 69,030 respondents aged 15 years and above. Data were analyzed according to regions for estimating prevalence of current tobacco consumption (both smoking and smokeless) across wealth quintiles. Multiple logistic regression analysis predicted the impact of socioeconomic determinants on both forms of current tobacco consumption adjusting for other socio-demographic variables. Results: Trends of smoking and smokeless tobacco consumption across wealth quintiles were significant in different regions of India. Higher prevalence of smoking and smokeless tobacco consumption was observed in the medium wealth quintiles. Risk of tobacco consumption among the poorest compared to the richest quintile was 1.6 times higher for smoking and 3.1 times higher for smokeless forms. Declining odds ratios of both forms of tobacco consumption with rising education were visible across regions. Poverty was a strong predictor in north and south Indian region for smoking and in all regions for smokeless tobacco use. Conclusions: Poverty and poor education are strong risk factors for both forms of tobacco consumption in India. Public health policies, therefore, need to be targeted towards the poor and uneducated.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.16 no.16
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• pp.6883-6888
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• 2015

Background: Tobacco smoking is a major cause of preventable disease and death worldwide. Kreteks are clove-flavored cigarettes made from a combination of tobacco and ground-clove mixed with a sauce, smoked widely in Indonesia. Because health and social consequences of kretek smoking are potentially as great as those of traditional cigarettes, this study examines the prevalence of kretek smoking in Indonesia and associated risk factors. Materials and Methods: The study used nationally representative Indonesia Global Adult Tobacco Survey data. Multiple logistic regression analysis was employed to identify correlates of kretek smoking. Results: One-third of Indonesian adults smoked tobacco of which about 90.0% smoked kreteks. Prevalence of kretek smoking among men (60.9%) was more than 25 times the rate among women (2.3%). Overall, the highest prevalence of kretek use was in the age group 45-54 years (36.5%), followed by 34-44 (35.1%), 25-34 (34.2 %), and 55-64 years (32.8%). By wealth index, prevalence of kreteks smoking among those in the middle index was almost 50% above the rate for the wealthiest group (36.4% vs 24.8% respectively). Logistic regression results showed that being male, being older, having less education, and being less wealthy were significant predictors of kretek smoking, while urban vs rural residence was not. Conclusions: Kretek smoking is common in Indonesia and is entrenched in the sociocultural fabric of the country. However, potential consequences of kretek smoking, particularly as risks for noncommunicable diseases, underscore the importance of a comprehensive approach to tobacco control as outlined in the World Health Organization's MPOWER strategies.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.17 no.sup1
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• pp.37-42
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• 2016

Studies have shown that smoking is a learnt behavior, often initiated during adolescence. This paper aims to describe tobacco-related knowledge, attitude and associations among school adolescents aged 13-15 with exposure to anti-smoking information. Using data from the Global Youth Tobacco Survey (GYTS) in Viet Nam, 2014, knowledge was measured through 4 questions about tobacco use, and attitude was assessed through 3 questions on personal, social and environmental aspects. Students giving most anti-tobacco responses to all questions were considered as having correct knowledge or appropriate attitude or both. Access to anti-smoking information was determined by exposure to any media messages on tobacco control during the past 30 days and teaching in school about the danger of tobacco use during the past 12 months. A substantial percentage of students thought that being near others who smoke might be harmful to them and smoking is harmful to health (89.4% and 89.6% respectively). However, only 46.4% reported that it is definitely difficult to quit smoking and 66.9% thought that smoking for only 1 or 2 years, once stopped, is harmful to health. Slightly more than half of the respondents reported appropriate attitude that young smokers have fewer friends than others and smoking makes them less attractive and less comfortable at social events. Noticing anti-smoking messages in the media together with having lessons in school about the dangers of tobacco substantially increased the likelihood of having correct knowledge, appropriate attitude and both. Despite relatively high awareness about smoking harms, effective educational communication is still highly needed to improve the level of comprehensive knowledge and an appropriate attitude regarding tobacco use.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.14 no.6
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• pp.3455-3459
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• 2013

Background: Smoking and smokeless tobacco use are almost always initiated and established during adolescence. More than 80% of adult smokers begin smoking before 18 years of age. The main objective of the present study is to assess the feasibility of preventing adolescent tobacco use with the help of a specially designed tobacco control program. Materials and Methods: A cross sectional survey on tobacco use and related health effects was conducted using a structured questionnaire in 13 randomly selected schools in Kannur district of Kerala. These students were followed for a period of one academic year with multiple spaced interventions such as anti-tobacco awareness classes, formation of anti-tobacco task forces, inter-school competitions, supplying IEC (information, education and communication) materials and providing a handbook on tobacco control for school personnel. Final evaluation was at the end of one year. Results: There were 4,144 school children who participated in the first phase of the study. The prevalence of tobacco smoking and chewing habits were 9.85% and 2.24% respectively. Ninety-one percent had parental advice against tobacco use and only 3.79% expressed desire for future tobacco use. The final evaluation witnessed a sharp decline in the current tobacco use as 4.68%. We observed a statistically significant difference towards the future use of tobacco (p<0.001) and awareness about the ill effects of passive smoking (p<0.001) among boys and girls. Further a significantly increased knowledge was observed among boys compared to girls about tobacco and oral cancer (p=0.046). Conclusions: The comprehensive school based tobacco control project significantly reduced the tobacco use pattern in the target population. School tobacco projects incorporating frequent follow ups and multiple interventions appear more effective than projects with single intervention.

• Journal of Korean Public Health Nursing
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• v.33 no.3
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• pp.340-353
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• 2019

Purpose: This study was conducted to compare and analyze the smoking-related social-ecological factors affecting attempts to quit smoking by adolescents using tobacco cigarettes only and also those adolescents using tobacco cigarettes along with electronic cigarettes. Methods: This study, as secondary analysis research, used the raw data from the 14th Korea youth risk behavior survey 2018. The data was analyzed by frequency analysis, the Rao-scott χ²-test and logistic regression analysis when considering the complex sample's analysis. Results: On logistic regression analysis, during their first smoking period, intense physical activities and having friends who smoked were associated with significantly more attempts to quit smoking by cigarettes smokers, and their first smoking period and experiences of undergoing smoking cessation education were associated with significantly more attempts to quit smoking for dual smokers of both tobacco cigarettes and electronic ones. Conclusion: As a result of this study, we identified the need to differentiate different types of smoking cessation counseling and education according to the types of smoking in adolescents.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.17 no.11
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• pp.4813-4818
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• 2016

Objective: The objective of the study was to determine the Knowledge, Attitude and Practice of chewing gutka,areca nut, snuff and tobacco smoking among the young population in the Northern India Population between the age of 15 to 22 years. Methods: The study was approved by the ethical committee. A total of 10 school and colleges located in the rural and urban areas was selected. A total of 1500 young individuals aged between 15 to 22 years were selected. A self-administered questionnaire was designed comprised of 14 closed ended questions about Knowledge, Attitude and Practice towards consumption of areca nut, gutka and tobacco smoking that were filled by the participants. Descriptive statistics were obtained and mean, standard deviation, frequency and percentages were calculated. Data was analyzed by using SPSS. Result: A total of 1050 out of 1500 students responded to the questionnaire. A total of 227 subjects agreed that they are consuming the tobacco. Out of this, 196 (86.34%) were boys and 31 (13.65%) were girls who agreed in consumption of tobacco product. Out of 196, 150 boys (76.5%) practices the habit of smoking 1 -5 times a day and 46 (23.4% ) practice the habit of chewing areca nut and gutkha 1 - 5 times a day. Out of 31 girls, 25 girls (80.6%) practices the habit of smoking 1 -5 times a day and 6 (19.4%) practice the habit of chewing areca nut and gutkha 1 - 5 times a day. Out of 740 subjects, 530 were boys and 210 girls have full knowledge of deleterious long term effects of tobacco consumption. Conclusion:The present study concluded that young population of North India lack Knowledge, Attitude and Practice regarding consumption of areca nut, gutka and tobacco smoking. Here is an urgent need to take effective steps, especially on launching community awareness programs for the school children and public to educate them about the consequences of tobacco use, and on assessing their effectiveness in curbing the problem.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.19
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• pp.8265-8270
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• 2014

Background: Smoking tobacco is considered as a leading cause of preventable death, mostly in developing countries like India. One of the primary goals of international tobacco control is to educate smokers about the risks associated with tobacco consumption. Tobacco warning labels (TWLs) on cigarette packages are one of the most common statutory means to communicate health risks of smoking to smokers, with the hope that once educated, they will be more likely to quit the habit. Materials and Methods: The present survey was conducted to assess the effectiveness of TWLs in communicating health risks of tobacco usage among 263 adult smokers working as bus drivers in Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC), Mangalore, India. Information was collected on demographic details, exposure and response to health warnings on tobacco products, intention to quit and nicotine dependency. Results: The majority (79.5%) of the respondents revealed negative intentions towards quitting smoking. Nearly half of the participants had a 'low' nicotine dependency (47.5%) and 98.1% of the respondents had often noticed warning labels on tobacco packages. These health warnings made 71.5% of the respondents think about quitting smoking. Respondents who noticed advertisement or pictures about dangers of smoking had better knowledge, with respect to lung cancer and impotence as a consequence of tobacco. A higher exposure to warning labels was significantly associated with lower nicotine dependency levels of smokers among the present study population. A significantly higher number of respondents who noticed advertisement or pictures about the dangers of smoking thought about the risks of smoking and were more inclined to think about quitting smoking. As exposure increased, an increase in the knowledge and response of participants was also observed. Conclusions: Exposure to tobacco warning labels helps to educate smokers about health risks of tobacco smoking. It may be possible to promote oral health among bus drivers by developing strategies to educate them about these risk factors.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.39 no.4
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• pp.339-345
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• 2006

Objectives: This study (a) investigated the rate of smoking cessation sucess for current male smokers, and (b) identified the factors that are associated with the smoking cessation success. Methods: Data were collected from four follow-up surveys of 700 current male smokers. The follow-up period was from December 2004 to June 2005. Success of smoking cessation was defined as "maintaining a smoking cessation status for six months". The demographic and socioeconomic factors included age, the household income level and, occupation. The smoking behavioral factors were composed of the amount of smoking, the duration of smoking, the age of initiating smoking, the willingness to quit, the frequency of trying to quit smoking and the smoker's attitude toward the anti-smoking policies. Results: The proportion of quitters increased from 6.6% to 11.0% during the follow-up period. The majority of quitters answered that the increase of tobacco price acted as cue to achieve smoking cessation. The age-standardized experience and success rate of smoking cessation were 16.0% (95% C.I.=13.0% to, 19.0%) and 4.5% (95% C.I.=3.0% to, 6.0%), respectively. On the multivariate analysis, success for smoking cessation was associated with the willingness to quit smoking, low prior tobacco consumption, and agreement on the tobacco price increase. Conclusions: The results of this study suggest that the recent anti-smoking policies provided an opportunity to quit smoking. The results of this study can be used to establish evidence for further anti-smoking policies.