Population attitudes to smoking in Chelyabinsk region, Russian Federation

Abstract

Earlier investigations showed high prevalences of smoking in the Ural region of the Russian Federation: 66% in men and 8–12% in women; a pilot investigation among students aged 12–17 showed a prevalence of 26%. In collaboration with American scientists, we conducted a randomized investigation of smoking in various age groups of employees, medical workers and students. Of the 447 respondents to a questionnaire, 70% considered smoking to be one of the major risk factors for poor health; 59% said that smoking cessation was essential for health promotion; 68% considered that a healthy lifestyle meant not smoking; and 49% indicated that tobacco advertising prevented them from stopping smoking. The majority of the respondents said that the cost of cigarettes represented a large part of the family budget but agreed that tobacco should be taxed in order to finance preventive programmes. Even if cigarettes became more expensive, however, 45% of the respondents would not change their habit. Current smoking was reported by 40%, and only 34% of these had been advised by their physician to stop smoking during the previous 12 months. Attempts to quit had been made by 29% of the respondents, but only 4.2% had completely stopped smoking. Our participation in the international ‘Quit and Win’ campaign raised interest in smoking cessation in the population and showed the economic advantages of such smoking control. The investigation demonstrated the magnitude of the smoking problem and allowed us to determine priorities and to develop a programme called ‘Chelyabinsk steps into Europe without tobacco’.