Abstract:
Objectives Given high prevalence of smoking and secondhand smoke exposure in Armenia and Georgia and quicker implementation of tobacco legislation in Georgia versus Armenia, we examined correlates of having no/partial versus complete smoke-free home (SFH) restrictions across countries, particularly smoking characteristics, risk perceptions, social influences and public smoking restrictions. Design Cross-sectional survey study design. Setting 28 communities in Armenia and Georgia surveyed in 2018. Participants 1456 adults ages 18–64 in Armenia (n=705) and Georgia (n=751). Measurements We used binary logistic regression to examine aforementioned correlates of no/partial versus complete SFH among non-smokers and smokers in Armenia and Georgia, respectively. Results Participants were an average age of 43.35, 60.5% women and 27.3% smokers. In Armenia, among non-smokers, having no/partial SFHs correlated with being men (OR=2.63, p=0.001) and having more friend smokers (OR=1.23, p=0.002); among smokers, having no/ partial SFHs correlated with being unmarried (OR=10.00, p=0.001), lower quitting importance (OR=0.82, p=0.010) and less favourable smoking attitudes among friends/ family/public (OR=0.48, p=0.034). In Georgia, among non-smokers, having no/partial SFHs correlated with older age (OR=1.04, p=0.002), being men (OR=5.56, p<0.001), lower SHS risk perception (OR=0.43, p<0.001), more friend smokers (OR=1.49, p=0.002) and fewer workplace (indoor) restrictions (OR=0.51, p=0.026); among smokers, having no/partial SFHs correlated with being men (OR=50.00, p<0.001), without children (OR=5.88, p<0.001), daily smoking (OR=4.30, p=0.050), lower quitting confidence (OR=0.81, p=0.004), more friend smokers (OR=1.62, p=0.038) and fewer community restrictions (OR=0.68, p=0.026). Conclusions Private settings continue to lack smoking restrictions in Armenia and Georgia. Findings highlight the importance of social influences and comprehensive tobacco legislation, particularly smoke-free policies, in changing household smoking restrictions and behaviours.
Description:
The researchers of the Avedisian Onanian Center for Health Services Research and Development (CHSR) of the Turpanjian College of Health Sciences (CHS) of the American University of Armenia (AUA) recently published an article in BMJ Open, an open-access, peer-reviewed academic journal dedicated to publishing research across a range of medical disciplines, public health, and epidemiology. The article is titled “Tobacco-related risk perceptions, social influences and public smoke-free policies in relation to smoke-free home restrictions: findings from a baseline cross-sectional survey of Armenian and Georgian adults in a community randomised trial.” It is based on the “Smoke-free air coalitions in Armenia and Georgia project: A community randomized trial” implemented in partnership with Emory University and with support from the U.S. National Institutes of Health Fogarty International Center (FIC). The local partners are the National Institute of Health named after academician S. Avdalbekyan and the National Center for Disease Control and Prevention of the Ministry of Health. The project focuses on developing models that examine the impact of local coalitions in promoting interventions for smoke-free policies and public health practices. The article is authored by Varduhi Hayrumyan, MS (MPH ‘16), Arusyak Harutyunyan, MD (MPH ‘09), Arevik Torosyan, MPH, MA, Lilit Grigoryan, MA, Zhanna Sargsyan, MS (MPH ‘18), Alexander Bazarchyan, MD, PhD, Varduhi Petrosyan, MS, PhD, Ana Dekanosidze, MD, MSc, Lela Sturua, MD, PhD, MPH, and Michelle C. Kegler, DrPH. It examines correlates of having no or partial versus complete smoke-free home (SFH) restrictions across Armenia and Georgia, particularly looking into smoking characteristics, risk perceptions, social influences and public smoking restrictions.
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