The 13th World Conference on Tobacco OR Health

Objective: Determination of the levels of knowledge about the health effects of smoking and attitudes towards action against smoking and to identify the prevalence of regular smoking and some ecological factors for the smoking problem.

Methods: Bany Ahmed Village, which is about 5km south to Minia City, was randomly selected to represent the rural population of Minia governorate. The total population of that village was about 20000 in September 2004. A screening for the population of the village revealed that about 3440 were currently smokers. A random sample of 800 was selected from the smokers. They were further subdivided into mild smokers (<10cigarettes/day), Moderate smokers (10-20 cigarettes/day) and heavy smokers (>20 cigarettes/day). An interview schedule were used to identify their knowledge, attitude and practice about smoking and its associated traditions

Results: About 42% of the interviewed were illiterate, 6.6% had no work, 77% were married, 96% knew that smoking is hazardous to health and high percentage of them know that smoking can cause heart disease, chest diseases, lung cancer and 79% of them know that smoking either active or passive is dangerous during pregnancy. Most of the interviewed smokers agree to prevent advertisement about smoking in mass media and selling tobacco products to those below 18 years and to prevent smoking in public and work places. A higher proportion refused the smoking of parents or teachers in front of their children and 86.5% refuse smoking for women.