Assessment of the knowledge and attitudes of preliminary school students toward smoking in Baghdad

Background: Early smoking considered as a major challenge for health promoters, as well it is socially not acceptable, thus interventions must tackle childhood starts of smoking. Aim: Assessing the knowledge and attitude of preliminary students towards tobacco use.  Methods: A cross-sectional study conducted among 2195, 5th grade students from 30 preliminary schools in Baghdad (15 from each side Karkh & Rusafa) during November 2014. They were selected by multistage sampling technique. Results:  Participated students age ranged between (10-13) years and (51.9%) of them were girls, (54.3%) of their parents were nonsmoker while the rest reported that both or one of them are smokers, direct and indirect risks of cigarette  smoking were known by (82.4%) and (66.2%) respectively, and (70.8%) of students’ families were found to wear their kids from smoking hazards, while more than (50%) of them have received health education massages from their teachers. Sitting near smoker person was not in favor of (86.2%) of the participants, as (51.4%) considered it religiously inconvenient and (34.6%) considered smoking as a sign of no self-confidence. At last, (73.7%) of the surveyed students agreed with smoking prohibition in public places while (25.8%) opposed that. Conclusion: In spite of the high percentage of students’ parents were smokers; nevertheless, risks of smoking are well known by the surveyed students and they showed positive attitudes toward smoking prohibition in public places. Parental advising for quit smoking and urging teachers to educate their students about smoking hazards are thought to be the right action

Socio-economic determinants of smoking among Iraqi adults: Data from Non-Communicable Risk Factor STEPS survey 2015.

Highlight the socio-economic determinants of smoking among Iraqi adults aged (18+) years.The study is derived from Non-Communicable Diseases Risk Factors STEPS survey Iraq 2015. A cross-sectional survey conducted among households from 15 Iraqi governorates. Nainawa, Salahaddin and Al-Anbar were excluded for unstable conditions. Multi-stage cluster sampling technique used to include 4120 Iraqi adults. Interviews started from the first week of November for 20 days using Arabic and Kurdish translated versions of STEPS questionnaire, at last 4071 valid questionnaire forms were gathered.Among men, smoking rates decline with age, 18-39 years (OR: 1.74; 95%CI: 1.22-2.47) and 40-59 years (OR: 1.69; 95%CI: 1.18-2.44) compared to elderly. They also decline as education level increased, No schooling (OR: 2.74; 95%CI: 1.75-4.31), Less than primary school (OR: 2.46; 95%CI: 1.68-3.62), Primary school (OR: 2.15; 95%CI: 1.51-3.05) and Secondary school (OR: 1.99; 95%CI: 1.33-2.99). They were higher among non-governmental (OR: 1.58; 95%CI: 1.03-2.44) and self-employee (OR: 1.4; 95%CI: 1.06-1.84). The lowest smoking rates were found among women aged 18-39 years (OR: 0.34; 95%CI: 0.14-0.86). While the highest rates were found among self-employed women (OR: 5.3; 95%CI: 1.12-25.06).Tobacco smoking was higher among men aged less than 40 years, low educated as well as non-governmental and self-employed people. While it was higher among elderly and self-employed women

Socio-demographic features of Iraqi adults (18+ yrs.), according to their sex 2015.

<p>Socio-demographic features of Iraqi adults (18+ yrs.), according to their sex 2015.</p

Smoking parameters among Iraqi adults (18+ yrs.), according to STEP survey 2015.

<p>Smoking parameters among Iraqi adults (18+ yrs.), according to STEP survey 2015.</p

Multivariate logistic regression analysis of current smoking determinants among Iraqi adults (18+ yrs.), 2015.

<p>Multivariate logistic regression analysis of current smoking determinants among Iraqi adults (18+ yrs.), 2015.</p