Smoking and Impact on Health

Questions: 1. Population that describing smoking? 2. Location of the smoking related data? 3. Time trend of the smoking? Answers: Introduction: Since the beginning of the time, men indulge in different types of addiction, and smoking tobacco is perhaps the one such widely known addiction1. Tobacco comes from dried leaves of Nicotiana tabacum. Smoking is a serious health problem across the globe so and as well as in USA. Different awareness programs, campaign and awareness created by social health workers has helped to educated people and as an effect of that smoking is declining rapidly in different parts of USA. 1. Population that describing smoking Physically, emotionally mentally disabled people and those are physically inactive are affected more by the smoking cessation. People with mental distress (31.5%), sufferingany form of chronic disease such as asthma are more at higher risk People of 25 to 34 years of age group, are shown to be the more affected group by the smoking cessation4. People with low-income group such as less than $15000, or without a higher education are more prone to smoking. It is seen that use of tobacco product among is higher in gay lesbian and bi sexual is 30.8% than heterosexual adults which is 20.5% Military personnel smokes (24.0%) more than a non-military personnel (19%) 7. Smoking prevalence among the prison population range from 50% to 83% In the perspective of specific community dependent of smoking tendency, it is observed that in the case of people having the non-Hispanic as well as black origin are in the zone of more risk. 2. Location of the smoking related data In Petersburg smoking rate is 24.6 % among adult 5, Washington county has the rate of24.1% among adults 6. Southside and Lenowisco, are the two districts with higher smoking rates among adults respectively having the smoking percentage of 26.4 and 26.32. North eastern districts are less affected ranged from 11.7% 15.3% South westerns districts are highly affected ranged from 24.8% - 31%3. 3. Time trend of the smoking According to Virginia health department report, smoking rate has been decreased to 19% in 2013 from 22.5% in 20014. More than 60.1% of adult smokers in Virginia have tried quitting smoking. People with higher education (64.1%) are trying to quit smoking compared to high school diploma or GEDs (57.3%) 8 It has been seen that in past twelve years smoking habits in black (71.3%) and non-Hispanic (56.8%) population has been reduced severely4 Male (61.4%) compared to women (58.5%) have tried to quit smoking in past twelve months About 68.6% of People between 25 to 34 years of age group are trying to quit smoking than people 65 years or above (57.3%) 9 Conclusion Because of mass awareness and education, people are more conscious about the adverse effects of smoking. In addition, to that more and more trying to quit smoking because of that smoking in Virginia is in steep decline. Nevertheless, few of the districts are still affected with heave smoking and smoking related diseases. Mass awareness via different print, tv, radio, internet media will to gain awareness in those affected regions will help. Reference List: 1. Brown, T., Platt, S. and Amos, A. (2014). Equity impact of European individual-level smoking cessation interventions to reduce smoking in adults: a systematic review. The European Journal of Public Health, 24(4), pp.551-556. 2. Tomioka, H., Sekiya, R., Nishio, C. and Ishimoto, G. (2014). Impact of smoking cessation therapy on health-related quality of life. BMJ Open Respiratory Research, 1(1), pp.e000047-e000047. 3. Vdh.virginia.gov, (2015). Virginia Department of Health. [online] Available at: https://www.vdh.virginia.gov [Accessed 7 Jul. 2015]. 4. Vineis, P. (2008). Smoking and impact on health. European Respiratory Review, 17(110), pp.182-186. 5. Wwwn.cdc.gov,. 'Indicator'. N.p., 2015. Web. 12 July 2015. 6. Wwwn.cdc.gov,. 'Indicator'. N.p., 2015. Web. 12 July 2015. 7. www.tobaccofreekids.org,. 'TOBACCO USE AND THE MILTARY'. N.p., 2015. Web. 12 July 2015. 8. Baggett, Travis P., Lydie A. Lebrun-Harris, and Nancy A. Rigotti. 'Homelessness, Cigarette Smoking And Desire To Quit: Results From A US National Study'. Addiction 108.11 (2013): 2009-2018. Web. 12 July 2015. 9. www.vdh.virginia.gov,. 'Smoking Cessation In Virginia'. N.p., 2015. Web. 12 July 2015