Smoking in Malaysia: Main issues and ways to overcome

Nawi, Azmawati Mohammed; Jetly, Kavita; Ramli, Nur Suhada

doi:10.31436/imjm.v20i3.1727

Cited by 3 publications

(1 citation statement)

References 17 publications

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“…However, the World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that the number of smokers is expected to increase from 1.3 billion to 1.7 billion worldwide by the year 2025 3 , with particularly serious health impacts in developing countries 4 . Malaysia is a multi-ethnic country and has not been spared from this pandemic, every year 10000 nicotine-dependent related deaths are registered 5 , and smoking-related diseases have been listed as the main cause of disability-adjusted life years and lost years of life among the Malaysian population 6 .…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Identifying the barriers of smoking cessation and predictors of nicotine dependence among adult Malaysian smokers: A cross-sectional study

Marzo¹,

El-Fass²,

Osman³

et al. 2022

Tob. Induc. Dis.

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INTRODUCTION Proper understanding of the prevalence and determinants of nicotine dependence is crucial for developing and implementing effective tobacco control interventions. The aim of the study was to identify the intrinsic and extrinsic barriers to smoking cessation, and to assess the association between nicotine dependence with demographic variables in Malaysia. METHODS A cross-sectional survey based on the Challenges to Stopping Smoking Scale (CSS-21) and Fagerström test for nicotine dependence (FTND) was performed on smoking Malaysian citizens aged ≥18 years, from February to June 2021. RESULTS A total of 1026 parents responded to the survey. As for the smoking dependence based on FTND, 39.1% suffered low-moderate dependence, while about 33.6% suffered moderate dependence. Only 1.8% suffered high dependence. Considering the barriers of quitting smoking based on CSS-21, the mean score of the intrinsic barriers domain was 5.7 ± 2.9, and for the extrinsic domain was 7.4 ± 4.0. The most common barrier reported in the intrinsic domain was the easy availability of cigarettes (69.8%), followed by experiencing withdrawal symptoms (68.5%). On the other hand, the most common barrier reported in the extrinsic domain was the belief in the capability of stopping smoking in the future (72.8%), followed by the fear of having side effects after stopping smoking (63.2%). Gender, race, education level, occupation, marital status, place of residence, and monthly income were also significantly associated with the FTND nicotine dependence category (all p<0.05). Pearson correlation analysis reported a positive association between intrinsic score (r=0.38), extrinsic score (r=0.43) and FTND score (all p<0.001). CONCLUSIONS Barriers to stopping smoking should be taken into consideration in initiatives to decrease smoking-related mortality. Vulnerable populations that are susceptible to high nicotine dependence should be given particular attention.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Identifying the barriers of smoking cessation and predictors of nicotine dependence among adult Malaysian smokers: A cross-sectional study

Marzo¹,

El-Fass²,

Osman³

et al. 2022

Tob. Induc. Dis.

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Perspectives of Malaysian community pharmacists on challenges and barriers to smoking cessation programme: a qualitative study

Lio,

Maharajan,

Rajiah

2024

International Journal of Pharmacy Practice

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Objectives Smoking remains a significant public health concern, necessitating effective smoking cessation interventions. This study explores the barriers community pharmacists face in delivering smoking cessation services in Malaysia and potential solutions to improve their contribution to public health. Methods This qualitative study employed purposive and snowball sampling to recruit community pharmacists in Malaysia. Semi-structured interviews were conducted, exploring pharmacists’ perspectives on barriers, counselling approaches, follow-up strategies, and opinions on smoking cessation services. Thematic analysis was employed to identify key themes and sub-themes. Key findings Three main themes emerged from the data analysis: barriers, counselling and enhancing follow-up, and pharmacists’ opinions on professional fees. Under the theme of barriers, sub-themes included underutilization by the public, poor follow-up by customers, time constraints, lack of educational materials and support, and customer perception. The counselling and enhancing follow-up theme encompassed shared decision-making, motivational intervention, follow-up via phone calls or messaging apps, and providing rebate vouchers. Pharmacists’ opinions on professional fees revealed mixed perspectives, with some advocating for fees to recognize the professional service provided, while others expressed concerns about access barriers. Conclusions Community pharmacists face challenges in delivering smoking cessation services, such as underutilization, poor follow-up, time constraints, and affordability. However, strategies like shared decision-making and proactive communication can enhance effectiveness. Addressing professional fees and collaborative efforts are essential to optimising these services.

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Smoking prevalence, exposure to secondhand smoke, and factors associated with smoking among medical, dental, and pharmacy students in a public university in Malaysia

Mohamed,

Naina-Mohamed,

Kumar

et al. 2024

Tob. Induc. Dis.

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INTRODUCTION Smoking among medical, dental, and pharmacy students is an issue in every university worldwide, which will impact future smoking cessation services as they are future healthcare providers. This study investigates the smoking prevalence, exposure to secondhand smoke, and factors associated with smoking among medical, dental, and pharmacy students at a public university in Malaysia. METHODS The self-administered online survey utilized in this cross-sectional study was derived from the Global Health Professions Students Survey (GHPSS), which involved medical, dental, and pharmacy students. A total of 328 participants completed a questionnaire from June to August 2022, with a response rate of 91.1%. RESULTS The overall smoking prevalence was 4.6% among the medical, dental, and pharmacy students who participated in this study; 46.7% of current smokers were exposed to secondhand smoke at home compared to 17.6% of non-smokers (p=0.011); and 66.7% of smokers were exposed to secondhand smoke in public compared to 40.3% of non-smokers (p=0.043). In all, 99.1% of respondents supported the smoking ban and 46.7% of current smokers supported the smoking ban in discos/bars/pubs, compared to 82.0% of non-smokers (p=0.002). Of the participants, 96.6% received lessons on the danger of tobacco, and 65.5% received smoking cessation training. Among factors associated with current smoking was gender; male students had a 19-fold higher likelihood of smoking than female students (adjusted odds ratio, AOR=19.25; p<0.001). In addition, home exposure to secondhand smoke was four times more common for current smokers (OR=4.11; 95% CI: 1.43-11.79, p=0.009). CONCLUSIONS Although smoking prevalence was low among the students in this study, there was a higher percentage of them exposed to secondhand smoke at home and in public.

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Smoking in Malaysia: Main issues and ways to overcome

Cited by 3 publications

References 17 publications

Identifying the barriers of smoking cessation and predictors of nicotine dependence among adult Malaysian smokers: A cross-sectional study

Identifying the barriers of smoking cessation and predictors of nicotine dependence among adult Malaysian smokers: A cross-sectional study

Perspectives of Malaysian community pharmacists on challenges and barriers to smoking cessation programme: a qualitative study

Smoking prevalence, exposure to secondhand smoke, and factors associated with smoking among medical, dental, and pharmacy students in a public university in Malaysia

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