220192 Public health in Oncology; nicotine addiction in Polish teenagers

Sunday, November 7, 2010

Andrzej Wojtyla, MD, PhD , Chief Sanitary Inspectorate, Institute of Agricultural Medicine Lublin, Warsaw, Poland
Iwona Bojar, MD, PhD , Institute of Agricultural Medicine, Lublin, Poland
Piotr Holownia, PhD , Chief Sanitary Inspectorate, Warsaw, Poland
Przemyslaw Bilinski, MD, PhD , Chief Sanitary Inspectorate, Institute of Haematology and Transfusion Medicine, Warsaw, Poland
  
A review of current literature show that smoking is responsible for the occurrence of malignant tumours in organs like mouth, throat, lungs, oesophagus, stomach, large intestine, liver, pancreas, kidneys, uterus, bone marrow and many others. Our study aims were to analyse the incidence of smoking in teenagers at middle-school in Poland and assess the factors that can pose an increased risk of nicotine addiction together with exposure to the risk of contracting diseases associated with smoking. Subjects were 9,360 middle-school students aged 12-17 years and 6,951 parents sampled throughout Poland using a health questionnaire based on lifestyle behaviour as the study tool. Parameters investigated were the incidence of smoking, factors causing increased risk of nicotine addiction, exposure to passive smoking at home and the effects of the ‘Keep Fit' programme on teenage smoking habits/behaviour. Results demonstrated that the average percentage of teenagers that smoke in Poland is 9% and similar for both sexes contrasting with a recent WHO report that showed 19.2% smoking teenagers aged 13-15 years in Europe. The main reasons found for starting smoking were; social acceptance amongst peers, ways to spend leisure time, reaction to stress and a means to spite parents. One fifth of smoking pupils were significantly addicted to nicotine, (>10 cigarettes daily), and 24.51% were exposed to passive smoking at home. Schoolchildren that participated in the ‘Keep Fit' program smoked less, didn't do so at school and were aware of the hazards of smoking. Future programmes along similar lines are therefore now being planned.

Learning Areas:
Advocacy for health and health education
Epidemiology
Public health or related research

Learning Objectives:
Demonstrate and discuss epidemiological results from a large and comprehensive nationwide survey in Poland which assesses the risk factors in diseases associated with smoking and nicotine addiction in schoolchildren. Reasons for adopting certain lifestyle behaviour were also analysed. Remedial measures are described.

Keywords: Adolescent Health, Smoking

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: Education 1976 -1980 W. Broniewski High School, Belchatow, passed final exams, 1980-1986 Medical University of Lodz, M.D. medical diploma, 1987-1988 Medical University of Lodz – Training Centre for Academic Personnel 1990 II Clinic of Internal Medicine at the Medical University of Lodz; 1st degree specialization in internal medicine, 1995 Institute of Endocrinology, Lodz Medical University; 2nd degree specialization in internal medicine; PhD in Endocrinology, 1995 European Federation of Endocrine Societies, Switzerland, Geneva 2nd EFES Postgraduate Clinical Endocrinology Course, 1996 European Federation of Endocrine Societies, Italy, Turin 3rd EFES Postgraduate Clinical Endocrinology Course, 1997 European Federation of Endocrine Societies, Poland, Pultusk 4th EFES Postgraduate Clinical Endocrinology Course, 1998- Project HOPE Poland, Cracow 1999 Managerial Personnel for Health Protection in Poland, 1999 Institute of Endocrinology at the Medical University of Lodz; 2nd degree specialization in endocrinology, 2001 National School of Public Administration in Warsaw; Strategic Management, Negotiations, Macroeconomics, 2002 National Defence University, Warsaw Advanced Defence Course, 2004 National Institute of Hygiene – National Centre for Disease Prevention and Control, Warsaw; 2nd degree specialization in public health. Professional experience; 2006 Deputy Chief Sanitary Inspector, 1997-2006 Ministry of Health, Warsaw Deputy Director and Director of the Department of Science and Higher Education, 2004-2005 Institute of Hemathology and Transfusiology in Warsaw, Head of Daycare Unit and Consultant in Endocrinology, 2002-2004 National Institute of Hygiene, Warsaw Deputy Director of National Centre for Disease Prevention and Control, 1997-2003 Teaching Hospital N°3 of Medical University of Lodz, Deputy Head of Regional Centre for Osteoporosis and Menopause, 1990-1997 Teaching Hospital N°3 of Medical University of Lodz, Assistant in the Department of Thyroidology in the Institute of Endocrinology at the Medical University of Lodz, 1992-2001 Teaching Hospital N°3 of Medical University of Lodz, Director of the Prof. T. Pawlikowski Endocrine Research Foundation, 1986-1990 M. Kopernik Regional Specialist Hospital in Lodz Assistant in the II Clinic of Internal Medicine at the Medical University of Lodz. Membership in professional organisations; Polish Society for Endocrinology, Polish Society of Haematology and Transfusion Medicine, Polish Society of Internal Medicine, International Menopause Society. Awards Polish Silver Cross of Merit, Award for “Exemplary involvement in the area of Health Services”, Bronze Medal for Merit for Country Defence, An order of merit awarded by Medical University of Lodz, Jagiellonian University Medal issued at the occasion of 600 anniversary of the University. Golden Award of the Student’s Scientific Society.
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.

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