Study of smoking habit among soldiers in Cairo Security Forces Hospital

Abstract

Smoking is a global problem, World Health Organization (WHO) reported that tobacco use is one of the biggest public health threats the world has ever faced. Tobacco smoking is responsible for 5 million deaths annually. Developing countries comprise 73% of the world’s smoker population. Smoking as a problem in Egypt: Egyptians represent 21% of the region’s population but consume more than 24% of the region’s cigarettes. This work aimed to study the smoking habit and its effects among soldiers in Cairo Security Forces Hospital and their trend to quit. The sample number was 1100 subjects' males' soldiers cigarette smokers aged 19-23 years old attending the outpatient clinic in Cairo Security Forces Hospital in a period from June 2014 to December 2014. They were subjected to full history taking, clinical examination and a questionnaire asking in details about their smoking habits, initiation, clinical manifestations, and trails of quitting .Finally the symptomatized subject underwent chest X-ray. The majority of them (96.91 %) smoke daily ,there was highly statistical difference in number of cigarettes smoked per day with the majority (54.45%) smoke a pack to pack and half of cigarettes ,also there was high statistical difference of current smokers (96.73%) and ex-smokers(3.27%) with the majority (80.55% )start smoking between the age 15to less than 20 years old .They answered that the main cause of initiation of smoking was due to friends and social reasons and there was high significance that they smoke for the first in the day at morning with highly statistical difference that they smoke all over the day than during morning with the majority (91.45 %) accept smoking as it is not a harmful habit. Most soldiers of the sample group have moderate levels of craving to smoke also it was found that (51.91%) of soldiers don’t stop smoking inspite of their illness. When soldiers questioned about what they liked about smoking (55 %) of the group sample like smoking mainly to relieve tension, and (51.91%) of the sample group like smoking to avoid problems like getting irritable or gaining weight. As regard respiratory problems; it was found that expectoration is the main complain followed by frequent coughing then shortness of breath .As regard systemic symptoms; it was found that the gastrointestinal symptoms in the form of heart burn and oral cavity problems are the most common encountered symptoms. The majority of soldiers (99.82 %) answered that they will quit smoke because of serious illness, also (99.55%) answered that they didn’t give up or greatly reduced any important activity such as sports gathering with relatives or friends,(90.73%) of sample group didn’t advice other to quit smoking . Although (59.64%) of soldiers thought about quitting smoking , yet (95.09%) of them never tried to quit while , only (4.91%) tried to quit, (74.07 %) of those who tried to quit ,tried less than three times, (68.52%) of soldiers who tried to quit smoking they quitted smoking for less than one month. Also the majority of soldiers who tried to quit (88.89%) found it is difficult to quit with (61.11%) of them answered that the last try to quit smoking was more than one year ago. The majority of soldiers (85.18%)