Factors of Smoking Among Saudi Youth in the Northern Border Region
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Journal of Social Welfare and Human Rights 1(1); June 2013 pp. 22-35 Ajoud Factors of Smoking Among Saudi Youth in the Northern Border Region Dr. Mohamed Eid Kilase Ajoud Assistant Professor Department of Public Administration Northern Border University, Saudi Arabia Abstract Background: Smoking is the most important Keywords: cigarettes, Saudi Arabia, tobacco, avoidable cause of premature morbidity and youth, quitters mortality in the world. The estimated annual death rate of 4.9 million people in 1999 is Introduction expected to rise to 10 million by the 2020s and Smoking is a major worldwide public health 2030s, 7 million of which will occur in problem. It is the most important avoidable developing countries. Objectives: The present cause of premature morbidity and mortality in study aims to determine the factors of smoking the world, occupying the heaviest burden of among the Saudi youth in the Northern Border morbidity and mortality compared to any other Region of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, besides risk factor on people. Each day in the United studying the impact of Smoking on expenses, States, over 3,800 young people less than 18 savings and smoker sensitivity to price. years of age smoke their first cigarette, and over Methods &Materials: Across-Sectional study 1,000 youth under age 18 become daily cigarette was conducted of 1022 among the secondary smokers. The estimated death rate of smoking schools students 656 for males, Northern was 4.9 million people in 1999 and is expected Border University students 139 for males, to rise to 10 million by the 2020s, 7 million of Northern Border University students 153 for which will occur in developing countries. females and 74 for café visitors. The qualitative Smoking is more prevalent globally among data was collected from focus group discussions males than among females. In developing and interviews. countries, it is estimated that about 48% of Results: Results revealed that prevalence of males and 7% of females are smokers. Most smokers was 24.7%, 38.1%, 9.8% and 70.3% smokers start the habit during adolescence; less for the four groups of youth respectively. The than 2% of them start smoking after their 22nd most common reason for initiating smoking birthday. In Saudi Arabia, smoking is a leading among youth groups was being the frequent cause of lung diseases and cancer deaths among contact with others with following proportions: Saudi males suggesting that cigarette smoking is (65.5%) for secondary school students, (74.3%) becoming an important public health problem for male university students, (82%) for café among the Saudi youth. Nevertheless, there are visitors. In contrast the most common reason for no statistics available about the current female university students to smoke was feeling prevalence of cigarette smoking in the Northern comfort (41.7. Border Region of KSA. But the prevalence of Conclusion: Smoking is high among the youth smoking in adults in 2000 was reported as in the Northern Border Region, Saudi Arabia. 11.6%, being higher among males (21.1%) than Interventions are needed to decrease the among females (5.2%) (Koura, 2011). prevalence of smoking in Saudi Arabia. © American Research Institute for Policy Development 22 www.aripd.org/jswhr Journal of Social Welfare and Human Rights 1(1); June 2013 pp. 22-35 Ajoud Although there are many surveys addressing the The most recent survey, which used a modified prevalence of smoking in Saudi Arabia, most of version of GYTS, was conducted in 2010 at a these surveys end up with different conclusions, university in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia and revealed likely because there is no nationwide studies on an overall smoking prevalence of 14.5% (32.7% the prevalence of tobacco smoking have been of male students and 5.9% of female students) performed in Saudi Arabia. Moreover, many (Al Ghbain, 2011). studies did not follow a standardized protocol, Most of the accessible data in these studies sample size, or sample selection. Moreover, covered age groups between 15 years and 25 between 1987 and 2008 there were 34 studies years. However, to our knowledge, a study on conducted among school students, university the smoking among young people in the students, adults, and other population groups in Northern Border Region of the Saudi Arabia has Saudi Arabia. According to these studies, the not been reported to this date. This study was prevalence of current smoking among the Saudi designed to fill this gap in knowledge, focusing population ranges from 2.4 to 52.9% with a on the factors of smoking and impact of median of (17.5%). The difference in prevalence Smoking on Expenses, Savings and Smoker among studies is due to the inclusion of Sensitivity to Price in Northern Border Region, different populations, using different criteria for Saudi Arabia. current smoking, and estimating the prevalence in different regions, and at different times. Most Problem Statement studies recruit people from schools, universities, This study investigates the phenomenon of and health care facilities. smoking among Saudi youth in the Northern Border Region, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. These weaknesses limit the generalization of the Smoking has become one of the most important findings and increase the need for further studies causes of public health risks particularly among in the community including people from both the youth. However, there are no accurate genders, all age groups and different socio- statistics available on the number of smokers in demographic backgrounds and from all cities of the Northern Border Region, in addition, the the kingdom. (Bassiony, 2009).In the present factors of smoking and ways of controlling it are study the prevalence of smoking among the varied depending on the nature of the Tobacco youth in the Northern Border Region is well Control Program and the quality of services it calculated based on the criteria of inclusion of offers. the young people from both genders with their different socio-demographic background and Significance of the Study age group ranged between 15 to 24. The importance of this study lies in the type of On the other hand, the prevalence of smoking information it provides to researchers, health among Saudi university students over the age of practitioners, decision makers and society as a 18 has been investigated in several studies. whole about the factors of smoking. The These studies also did not follow a standardized findings of the study may help decision makers protocol, and therefore showed changeability in to develop plans and policies to combat this the percentages, which ranged between 13 and negative phenomenon. 20% of male students and 9–11% of female Objectives of the Study students. The main objective of the study is to determine the factors of smoking in the region. Also, the study aims to clarify the relationship between smoking and price. © American Research Institute for Policy Development 23 www.aripd.org/jswhr Journal of Social Welfare and Human Rights 1(1); June 2013 pp. 22-35 Ajoud Questions of the Study ground up, and used in different ways; smoked in a cigarette, pipe, or cigar; chewed (called a. What are the factors of smoking among the smokeless tobacco or chewing tobacco ); or youth in the Northern Border Region? sniffed through the nose (called snuff). Nicotine b. What is the relationship between smoking and is one of the main chemicals in tobacco or savings, expenses and price? cigarettes that make it addictive or habit The Response of the Kingdom of Saudi forming. Once smoked, chewed, or sniffed tobacco, nicotine goes into the bloodstream, and Arabia to the Framework Convention on it makes the body needs certain level to function Tobacco Control Program normally. The nicotine in tobacco makes it a The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia ratified the drug, because nicotine is a stimulant, it speeds World Health Organization’s Framework up the nervous system, and gives a feeling of Convention on Tobacco Control in 2005, thus it having more energy. It also makes the heart beat is considered the 65th country to do so. As a faster and raises blood pressure (World Health ratifying country Saudi Arabia has to ban Organization (WHO, 2009). tobacco advertising, taking measures to protect Tobacco Use nonsmokers from second hand smoking, increasing the cost of tobacco products, and Tobacco use is defined as the use of any making efforts to stop tobacco smuggling. The nicotine containing tobacco products, such as framework aims at preventing children from cigarettes, cigars, and hookah. Therefore, it is smoking and to help adults to stop the habit. important to identify all types of tobacco when The Gulf Cooperation Council proposed certain investigating the prevalence of tobacco use measures in 1987 to be implemented by all Gulf among youth (Al Agili DE etal, 2012). States. These measures include limits on tar and Types of Tobacco nicotine levels and a health warning showing that smoking is the main cause of lung and heart There are many different kinds of tobacco diseases to be printed on cigarette packets. It products (e.g., cigarettes, cigars, cigarillos, also proposed that the importing of chewing bidis, kreteks, pipe tobaccos, and smokeless tobacco should be banned, and the imposition of products), the most common form of tobacco is curbs on the advertisement and promotion of the manufactured cigarette (Wigand, 2006). cigarettes. In addition, designing sweets to look Cigarettes like cigarettes or cigarette packets to promote smoking is banned. The Saudi Multi National Cigarettes are a product consumed through Multisectoral Committee adopted a national smoking and manufactured out of cut tobacco tobacco control program. This programtrated leaves and reconstituted tobacco, often with the epidemiology of smoking in terms of combined with other additives, which are then (prevalence, consumption, morbidity and rolled into a paper-wrapped cylinder (Wignad, mortality) and the primary and secondary 2006).