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Assessing knowledge, attitude and practice of Iranian school personnel about tobacco consumption
Mohsen Asadi-Lari, Head, Department of Epidemiology, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
Abstract
Background: Tobacco related diseases account for 70% deaths in low and middle income countries. Teenage smoking is ever deteriorating in Iran and the role of school staff is significant in improving this risky behaviour. The Global School Personnel Survey (GSPS) intended to collect information from school personnel concerning their use of tobacco and their tobacco related school policies and programs. This paper describes tobacco use patterns and tobacco use prevention efforts among teachers throughout Iran.
Methods: The GSPS is a cross-sectional survey using a cluster sample design to produce a representative sample of school personnel drawn from the same schools that were sampled for the GYTS. GSPS questionnaire is a standard tool adapted with Iranian culture with established reliability and validity, distributed to school personnel. Respondents returned the tool upon completion. For the GYTS, schools were sampled on the probability of selection proportional to the school enrollment size in grades 8–10 (ages 13–15 years). Appropriate permissions from the respective state Education Departments and the principals of each school were obtained.
Results: Overall 12% of teachers (17% men & 3% women) were current tobacco users. Tobacco control policies were virtually existent in all schools, and all teachers reported that tobacco use was prohibited among students, while a great part of schools did not have restrict non-smoking policies for teachers. Less than half of teachers taught their students about tobacco use prevention, while such teaching was more common in the Capital. Teaching about tobacco use prevention was significantly associated with not currently using tobacco (P<0.001), having a policy specifically prohibiting tobacco use among students (P< 0.01), and having a policy specifically prohibiting tobacco use among school personnel (P<0.01).
Conclusions: This study has clear implications for implementation of tobacco control policies in Iranian schools and further underscores the need for infrastructure support for tobacco use prevention in developing countries, where tobacco use threatens to contribute to a growing proportion of the burden of disease worldwide.
Biography
Mohsen Asadi-Lari MD PhD FRIPH, is a medical doctor graduated in 1993, holding a PhD in Public Health and Epidemiology of Cardiovascular Medicine (2004, Nottingham), post-doc senior research fellow in palliative care (2005-2006, Warwick), and Assistant Professor in Epidemiology and Public Health (Tehran, 2006 onward). He has published more than 20 papers in well-known scientific journals, mostly cited in Medline and Embase, particularly in health-related quality of life, health needs assessment, health management in disasters and palliative care. He has established a 'Tobacco Research Centre' and 'Oncopathology Research Centre' in Tehran and encourages his MPH, MSc and PhD students to work in these fields, regarding the prevalence of smoking in Iran. He is currently co-manager of a large nationwide population-based smoking cessation programme in Iran to be launched in mid 2007.
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