Faroog Saifudheen, Faroog Zainudheen, Zaidi Abdul Rehman Zia, Alghalyini Baraa
College of Medicine, Alfaisal University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Department of Family and Community Medicine, College of Medicine, Alfaisal University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Risk Manag Healthc Policy. 2024 Sep 10;17:2191-2200. doi: 10.2147/RMHP.S464706. eCollection 2024.
Tobacco use significantly impacts health and economic sectors. In the Maldives, 4 out of 10 men smoke daily, despite anti-tobacco policies. The Maldives Global Youth Tobacco Survey (GYTS) shows fluctuating cigarette smoking prevalence among secondary school students: 6.9% (2004), 3.8% (2007), 4.3% (2011), and 4.7% (2019). No studies have investigated smoking prevalence and attitudes toward anti-smoking policies among higher-secondary students in Addu City. This study examines smoking habits, susceptibility, and attitudes toward anti-smoking regulations to support policy development.
We conducted an observational cross-sectional study using a self-administered survey based on the GYTS and the Canadian Student Tobacco, Alcohol and Drugs Survey (CSTADS), involving 335 high school students in Addu City. Variables included sociodemographic factors, ever-smokers, current smokers, age at first cigarette, smoking dependency, use of other tobacco products, smoking susceptibility, willingness to quit, and reasons to quit or not smoke. Results with p-values < 0.05 were statistically significant.
22.8% of the students had tried smoking, with 4.74% currently smoking, predominantly males. Additionally, 32.2% had tried e-cigarettes. Smoking susceptibility was 44.2%. Seven students showed smoking dependency, with a significant gender difference (75.4% boys vs 33.3% girls, p < 0.05). Among smokers, 20% wanted to quit, and 70% cited cost as a deterrent. Only 20% of smokers supported a total ban on smoking in media compared to 49.8% of non-smokers (p = 0.03). Non-smokers significantly supported anti-smoking measures (73% vs 12.5% of smokers).
Cigarette smoking among high school students in Addu is below the national average, but the high number of ever-smokers and interest in smoking and e-cigarettes suggest potential future increases. Policymakers should enact stronger legislation, enforce age restrictions, raise tobacco taxes, and implement comprehensive smoking cessation programs to address tobacco use effectively.
烟草使用对健康和经济部门有重大影响。在马尔代夫，尽管有反烟草政策，但十分之四的男性每天吸烟。马尔代夫全球青少年烟草调查（GYTS）显示，中学生吸烟率波动：2004年为6.9%，2007年为3.8%，2011年为4.3%，2019年为4.7%。尚无研究调查阿杜市高中生的吸烟率及对反吸烟政策的态度。本研究调查吸烟习惯、易感性及对反吸烟规定的态度，以支持政策制定。
我们基于GYTS和加拿大学生烟草、酒精和药物调查（CSTADS），采用自填式调查问卷进行了一项观察性横断面研究，涉及阿杜市335名高中生。变量包括社会人口学因素、曾经吸烟者、当前吸烟者、首次吸烟年龄、吸烟依赖性、其他烟草制品使用情况、吸烟易感性、戒烟意愿以及戒烟或不吸烟的原因。p值<0.05的结果具有统计学意义。
22.8%的学生曾尝试吸烟，4.74%的学生当前吸烟，以男性为主。此外，32.2%的学生曾尝试吸电子烟。吸烟易感性为44.2%。7名学生表现出吸烟依赖性，存在显著性别差异（男孩75.4%，女孩33.3%，p<0.05）。在吸烟者中，20%想戒烟，70%称费用是阻碍因素。与49.8%的非吸烟者相比，仅20%的吸烟者支持在媒体上全面禁烟（p = 0.03）。非吸烟者显著支持反吸烟措施（73%，吸烟者为12.5%）。
阿杜市高中生吸烟率低于全国平均水平，但曾经吸烟者数量众多以及对吸烟和电子烟的兴趣表明未来吸烟率可能上升。政策制定者应制定更严格的立法，执行年龄限制，提高烟草税，并实施全面的戒烟计划，以有效应对烟草使用问题。
