Awareness of Teachers Towards The Law and #8220;4207 and #8221;

Abstract

The aim of this study is to evaluate knowledge, opinion and advices of the teachers towards the law no “4207”. A minimum sample size of 600 was selected by using a table of random numbers from schools which were surveyed in the study. Frequency distributions, factor analysis, student\'s t test, chi-square analysis were used for data evaluation. The study consisted of 663 teachers. Male/female ratio 1.04 and mean age was 34.2±7.9. The rate of current smokers of the teachers was 27.6%. Smokers among male teachers were higher than female (38.2%, respectively, 16.6%, p=0.000). The rate of people who think that students who see their teachers smoking negative affect were mainly consisted of nonsmoker teachers who think non-smokers than smokers were significantly higher (95.5% and 76.5%, respectively, p=0.000). Only 6.5% of the teachers knew the rate of smoking in Turkey and just 8% of teachers knew that in high-price sale of tobacco products was the most effective method for tobacco control; similarly. On the other hand, 49.2% of teachers were able to describe accurately the purpose of tobacco control. 30.5% of teachers were thinking that water pipe, light cigarette, tobacco pipe and Maraþ powder is less harmful than cigarette smoking. Prohibited places for consumption of tobacco products which were known by teachers were high school (91.1%), hospital garden (89.3%), classroom (86.4%), cafe, and restaurants (80.1%), stadium (49.8%) open areas of city line boats (41.6%); respectively. Male teachers had a significantly higher knowledge score in terms of information about the law (p=0.041). 80.4% of the teachers did not found indoor smoking acceptable. Lower rates for current smokers obtained who found indoor smoking acceptable (p=0.000). This study emphasizes high awareness status of a group that acts as both role model and leader in community for implementation of process about tobacco epidemic in Turkey.