Artūras Razbadauskas
Abstract
The smoking and alcohol abusing are usual harmful habits of population around the world. These habits are dangerous not just for health, but also for menace public security. The aim of the work was to evaluate harmful habits of Western Lithuanian population and their links with health assessment. The questionnaire survey was performed. The sample of study were Western Lithuanian residents (n=385) aged between 18 and 89 years old: 37 % males (n=142) and 63 % females (n=243). The original questionnaire consists of four parts: (1) socio demographic information; (2) information about participants’ harmful habits (smoking, alcohol using); (3) participants’ opinion about their own health; (4) participants’ opinion about their health problems, symptoms during last free months. For analysis of the data was used statistic package for social programs (SPSS). The findings showed that less females were smoking every day before and does not smoke now, than males. The females also smoke less often (9. 9%) than male (22.5 %.) (p=0.0007). The non–smoking tendency is noticeable in both gender groups. The age has influence for habit to smoke. There are less smokers in older population (p=0.029, χ2=9.06). Meanwhile, at present non–smoking young age the numbers were lower than in other age groups, that may shows insufficient health care institutions preventive educative work. There are differences in alcohol consumption between male and female: 66.3 % of female and 33.8 % of male does not use alcohol at all. 0.4% of female and 4.93% of males are drinking only bear (difference was insignificant). The males are using once per week vine or spirit more often (30.3%), than female (4.5%). The age of participants and the using of alcohol were related. Majority of elderly people, less of middle–aged participants, and least young people, does not use alcohol at all. Once per month vine or spirits more often were used by young individuals and less by middle–aged and elderly individuals (p=0, 00001). Similar results were found in the comparison of the groups using the vine or spirit few times per week. The links between health assessment, smoking and using of alcohol were found. The links between every day activities and using of alcohol; between physical and psychical potential and smoking; between pain frequency and using of alcohol; and between general health state assessment and use of alcohol were found.
Keyword(s): health, harmful habits (alcohol, smoking), health assessment.
DOI: 10.5200/183
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