Knowledge and Perceptions of Smoking According to Income Level in Morocco

Context:Tobacco use is an important health issue globally. It is responsible for a large number of diseases and deaths in India. Female tobacco users have additional health risks.Aims:The aim was to assess changes in pre and post-intervention tobacco-related knowledge, attitudes, and practices among women from urban low socioeconomic strata, after three rounds of interventions.Subjects and Methods:A structured questionnaire was used to interview women living in low socioeconomic housing clusters in Mumbai, regarding their tobacco consumption, attitudes, and practices, by Medical Social Workers. These data were entered into IBM SPSS Statistics, version 20 and analysed. Interventions for tobacco cessation were provided 3 times over a span of 9 months, comprising of health education and counseling. Post-intervention questionnaire was introduced at 12 months.Results:There was statistically significant improvement in the knowledge of women, following the interventions, with particular reference to poor oral hygiene and tobacco use being main cause of oral cancer (P = 0.007), knowledge of ill effects of second hand smoke (P = 0.0001), knowledge about possibility of early detection of oral cancer (P = 0.0001), perception of pictorial and written warnings on tobacco products (P = 0.0001), and availability of help for quitting tobacco (P = 0.024).Conclusion:The prevalence of smokeless tobacco use is very high among urban women from lower socioeconomic strata. Therefore, tobacco awareness programs and tobacco cessation services tailor made for this group of women must be planned and implemented.

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“…However, a study from Morocco reported lesser knowledge about health hazards of tobacco use among lower income group. [ 17 ]…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Tobacco-related knowledge, attitudes, and practices among urban low socioeconomic women in Mumbai, India

Majmudar

Mishra

Kulkarni

et al. 2015

Indian J Med Paediatr Oncol

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“…31,32 We speculate that the inverse relationship between socioeconomic level and smoking prevalence is due to the lack of appropriate information on the damage caused by cigarette smoking in this population. 33 In the multivariate analysis, living with a partner remained associated with smoking in women; we were not able to find any previous study addressing this variable among women. Conversely, severe psychiatric disorders such as schizophrenia and mood disorders have been strongly associated with nicotine dependence: smoking rates have been reported to be two to four times higher among psychiatric patients when compared with subjects with no comorbidities.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 62%

Prevalence and profile of daily smokers seen at three primary health care units in Pelotas, southern Brazil

Lopez

Jansen

Souza

et al. 2012

Trends Psychiatry Psychother.

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Prevalência e perfil dos fumantes diários usuários de três unidades básicas de saúde de Pelotas, sul do Brasil Prevalence and profile of daily smokers seen at three primary health care units in Pelotas, southern Brazil Abstract Objectives: To estimate the prevalence of daily smoking among users of three primary health care units affiliated with a university hospital in the municipality of Pelotas, southern Brazil, and to identify factors associated with daily tobacco consumption.

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“…In studies conducted in the US, UK, Canada, Australia [9, 31], Bangladesh [32], and Vietnam [33], educational level has emerged as one of the strongest predictors of smoking knowledge. Knowledge and risk perceptions also increase with socioeconomic status (SES); this has been observed in the US, UK, Canada, Australia [9], and Morocco [24]. The International Tobacco Control study found that in the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, and Australia [9], the vast majority of respondents across SES strata and educational levels in these countries were able to answer some questions correctly.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Knowledge and risk perceptions of Israelis towards combustible cigarettes: the need for immediate remedial action

Rosen

Rier

Schwartz

et al. 2019

Isr J Health Policy Res

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BackgroundDevastation from the tobacco epidemic continues, with strong government tobacco control policy absent in most countries. Knowledge of the full scope of tobacco harm in populations may form the basis for healthier behavior, de-normalization of smoking, and a consensus about necessary public policy. However, many populations may be poorly-informed about the risks, and this ignorance may undermine both effective policy-making and implementation of tobacco control policies. We present knowledge and risk perceptions about smoking tobacco smoke exposure in Israel.MethodsA nationally-representative phone survey was conducted in Israel (n = 505; response rate = 61%). We assessed knowledge about active and passive smoking using four questions, three of which addressed knowledge about harm, and one of which addressed knowledge of tobacco-related harm relative to knowledge of harm due to traffic accidents. The three questions which addressed knowledge of harm were combined into a composite score. We also asked four risk perception questions concerning tobacco smoke exposure, which were measured on a 7-point Likert scale and then combined. Multivariable logistic regression and linear models were used to identify whether smoking status or socio-demographic variables were associated with knowledge of harm, comparative knowledge of harm, and risk perceptions.ResultsJust two in five respondents, and one in five respondents who were current smokers, accurately answered three simple questions about harms of smoking. Fewer than three in ten respondents, and fewer than one in five smokers, knew that smoking causes more damage than traffic accidents. Many (30.3%) were unaware that tobacco smoke exposure causes both lung cancer and heart disease, 27.7% did not know that smoking both shortens life and injures quality of life, and 31.1% did not know that smoking-attributable health problems will afflict all or most heavy smokers. Overall, risk perceptions regarding tobacco smoke exposure were high (mean = 24.5, SD:4.5, on a scale of 7–28, with 28 the indicating highest level). Smoking status was consistently associated with lower levels of knowledge, comparative knowledge, and risk perceptions, with current smokers having the lowest levels of knowledge and the lowest risk perceptions.ConclusionsLike many others, Israelis, and particularly Israeli smokers, do not fully grasp tobacco’s true dangers. Effective communication of the full range of tobacco risks to the public, with a focus on communication with smokers, is an essential component of comprehensive tobacco control policy.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (10.1186/s13584-018-0276-2) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

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Knowledge and Perceptions of Smoking According to Income Level in Morocco

Abstract: Lower income level was associated with lower awareness of the harms of smoking. There is a need to improve knowledge of the dangers of smoking among the disadvantaged segments of the population.

Cited by 11 publications

References 19 publications

Tobacco-related knowledge, attitudes, and practices among urban low socioeconomic women in Mumbai, India

Tobacco-related knowledge, attitudes, and practices among urban low socioeconomic women in Mumbai, India

Prevalence and profile of daily smokers seen at three primary health care units in Pelotas, southern Brazil

Knowledge and risk perceptions of Israelis towards combustible cigarettes: the need for immediate remedial action

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