The “ELS” Independent Research Center (IRC) carrying on its activity in a way of propagating healthy lifestyle is going to start a one month campaign “Do not say “NO” to your health, future and welfare!” supported by the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Youth and Sport of Azerbaijan Republic and dedicated to the International Day without Tobacco announced by the World Health Organization (WHO) on 31st of May. The campaign is going to be conducted during May and will be concluded at 31 st of May. The aim of the campaign is propagation of healthy lifestyle, research of reasons of people’s addiction to habits dangerous for their life and ways of getting rid of them. It is considered organization of several events within the campaign.
The “ELS” Independent Research Center (IRC) carrying on its activity in a way of propagating healthy lifestyle is going to start a one month campaign “Do not say “NO” to your health, future and welfare!” supported by the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Youth and Sport of Azerbaijan Republic and dedicated to the International Day without Tobacco announced by the World Health Organization (WHO) on 31st of May. The campaign is going to be conducted during May and will be concluded at 31 st of May. The aim of the campaign is propagation of healthy lifestyle, research of reasons of people’s addiction to habits dangerous for their life and ways of getting rid of them. It is considered organization of several events within the campaign.The campaign will be broadcasted on mass media and on TV with support of the Ministry of Health.During a period of preparation to the campaign questionnaires were prepared by the “ELS” Independent Research Center and within the 10 to 20 of April was conducted a poll among 800 persons covering high schools and universities. Questions related to harm of smoking, an impact of it to the smoking person and people around him/her and ways of combating this disease were included to the questionnaire. The aim of the poll was identification of modern youth’s attitude towards smoking, researching the reasons why they became addicted to this habit and finding ways of solution.It is possible to get some conclusions through comparison of the results of the campaign with the similar research conducted by the volunteers of the “ELS” IRC in 2007.So, 59.1 % of respondents were males, 40.9 % were females. The results of the poll achieved that 34.5 % of respondents are smoking (for comparison in 2007 – 24.9 %). Number of smoking people among males is 46.6 % (2007 – 39.7 %), among females 17.1 % (2007 – 8.1 %). As it is obvious, the number of smoking females has raised for more than twice in comparison to 2007.Expressing their opinion to smoking 9.9 % (2007 – 17,4 %) respondents gave positive, 63,6 % respondents (2007 – 57,1 %) gave negative responses. 26.5 % (2007 – 25.4 %) of respondents told that this problem is not so important for them.Comparing the pupils and students’ responses it is possible to see that students are in more positive attitude to smoking (pupils – 7.1%, students – 22.2 %).The number of people who think that the smoke of cigarette is harmful for health has risen from 84.3 % up to 88.3 % (2008).Concerning the places where people are much expected to be exposed to smoke of cigarette, in the first place were mentioned public places – 52.5 %, then educational entities – 30.8 %, by the driver in public transport – 29.6 %, at home, in family – 23.8 %, in job – 18.5 %. It should be mentioned that the aspect of “by the driver in public transport” was observed mostly at females (39.3 %) and pupils’ (43.0 %) responses.The attitude for women’s and girls’ smoking has been changed: in 2007 – 11.1 % positive, 70.4 % – negative, 18.4 % – no matter; while in 2008 – 7.1 % positive, 76.7 % – negative, 16.2 % – no matter. As it is obvious, with the increase of number of smoking females, the negative attitude towards them in society is also rising.However, respondents were much firmer in their attitude to children and teenagers’ smoking rather than females’ smoking. Thus only 4.1 % of respondents responded positively to children and teenagers’ smoking, while 82.9 % expressed their negative attitude. 13 % of respondent do not care of it.In pointing reasons of dissemination of smoking habit among the youth first of all respondents addressed the friends’ influence (51,6 %), then wish looking like adults (40.6 %), wish to feel himself modern (36.9 %), to eliminate the stress (35.3 %), not having activity in leisure (19.0 %), having smoking members of family (14.6 %), wish to look like a popular persons (7.9 %) and other reasons. It should be mentioned that the reason “to eliminate the stress” is mostly addressed by females (55.4 %) and pupils (62.2 %).In pointing the reasons of their smoking the pupils that are smoking first of all, mentioned “to eliminate the stress” – 62.2 %, friends’ influence – 54.1 %, to feel himself much modern and cool – 37,8 %, wish to look like adult – 27,9 %, not having a leisure activity – 24.3 %, having smoking family members – 16.2 % etc.Several proposals were expressed by teenagers in order to reduce the number of smoking people: prohibition of smoking in public places (38.3 %), conducting awareness rising explaining the harm of smoking, including conducting direct propagation (31.0 %) and conducting classes in educational entities about harm of cigarette (25.2 %), creating condition for youth to organize their leisure time effectively and increasing the number of free of charge and available health centers (28.4 %), establishment of specialized anonymous medical treatment centers (12.2 %) etc.Answering to the question “Who can help to teenagers to quit smoking?” 40.6 % of respondents replied – friends, 33.8 % – parents, 14,7 % replied specialized anonymous medical treatment centers.16.5 % of respondents think that should perform his/her will and get rid of such bad habit. Besides, 25.6 % of pupils have pointed to this fact.In expressing attitude to prohibition of smoking in public places 68.0 % of respondents had completely, 19.4 % particularly supported this step. 11.7 % of respondents were against this step. 0.3 % of respondents think that this step will not bring any results. For 0.6 % of respondents there is no matter of it.Currently, as smoking is one of the global problems covering the world the combating it is also organized in international level. On 21 st of May 2003 in Geneva was accepted the Framework Convention of World Health Organization on combating against tobacco ratified by 120 countries of the world, including Azerbaijan (1st of November 2005).On this document the increase of cigarette production and use in the world was called “dissemination of tobacco disease” and was emphasized that it might not only cause to negative consequences for human health, but also for economy, social sphere and environment. That’s why, wide and firm cooperation and participation of al countries, as much as possible in this issue is required.The “ELS” Independent Research Center (IRC) is considering that, in order to prevent the dissemination of this disease in our country, support of society and joint activity of state and public bodies is important. It is time for wide discussion of issue of prohibition of smoking in public places
“ELS” Independent Research Center (IRC)
30.04.2008
