UNAIR NEWS – Concerning the smoking factors of youth in the country, Ferry Efendi S.Kep.Ns., M.Sc., PhD., As a lecturer at FKp UNAIR, conducted a study to identify factors related to smoking among men aged 15-24 years who live in rural area in Indonesia. The research, explained Ferry, is useful for understanding the factors associated with smoking behaviour.
“Because it is important to identify the high-risk and to inform government policies and design appropriate smoking cessation programs,” he said.
Previously, Ferry said around 61.4 million people in Indonesia are smokers, and the majority are men over the age of 15 years. The public knows the adverse health effects associated with smoking, including premature death from heart disease, lung disease, stroke, cancer, and diabetes.
“In Indonesia, tobacco smoking is a direct cause of more than 225,000 deaths per year. Tobacco smoking is an essential indicator in the goals of sustainable development (SDGs) and also the mission of World Health Organization (WHO), “he explained.
Smoking is also associated with social norms and masculinity for men, especially in rural areas of Indonesia. Smoking is often seen as a fundamental part of Indonesian men’s lives, especially those who live in rural communities where men gather at coffee shops to socialize with their friends.
“From this research, I hope the government continues to control the consumption of tobacco products through public policies. Including the restrictions and prohibitions on direct and indirect smoking ads, “he said.
The study was conducted on 4811 adolescents aged 15-24 years who are not married and live in rural areas of Indonesia. He also checked the education background, employment status, economic status, and access to media. All of that determine smoking behaviour among young men in rural Indonesia.
“Our analysis shows that rural young Indonesian men with lower levels of education, exposed to the media and cigarette advertisements are more likely to have the potential to smoke,” he said.
In the end, Ferry targeted young men living in rural areas in Indonesia. In preventing the long-term health consequences associated with smoking, a special smoking cessation program for this population needs to be developed.
“Findings from this study indicate that the elimination of cigarette advertising may be beneficial in the long run. “he concluded.
Author: Nuri Hermawan
Editor : Khefti Al Mawalia
Reference:
https://www.degruyter.com/view/j/ijamh.ahead-of-print/ijamh-2019-0040/ijamh-2019-0040.xml
Ferry Efendi, Fitriana Nur Aidah, Eka Misbahatul M. Has, Linlin Lindayani, Sonia Reisenhofer. (2019) “Determinants of smoking behavior among young males in rural Indonesia”, International Journal of Adolescent Medicine and Health. De Gruyter. doi: 10.1515/ijamh-2019-0040.
