Abstract
Introduction - The Sri Lankan government took measures to introduce new legislation to include graphic warnings covering 60% of the surface area of packets of cigarettes affecting from 1 January 2015. In this study we aimed to assess the knowledge and attitudes towards proposed graphic warnings on packets of cigarettes in a set of male health care workers. Method - An institution based cross sectional descriptive and analytical study was carried out in the National Hospital of Sri Lanka. The study population comprised of 119 semi-skilled workers who were selected via multi step simple random sampling. A self-administered questionnaire and samples of packets of cigarettes containing model pictorial warnings were used as study instruments. Results - Majority (63.21%) of the study population were unable to recall the already existing text-only warning messages printed on packets of cigarettes. Majority (89.47%) of the study population endorsed the view that the demonstrated sample pictorial warnings were effective in sending a stronger warning message to smokers than the prevailing text-only warnings. Majority (80.39%) of the smokers thought that the demonstrated sample graphic warnings would have a negative impact on their smoking habits. Statistically significant amount of smokers than non-smokers thought that the proposed graphic warnings would have a negative impact on future smokers. Conclusions and recommendations - These findings provide strong support for introducing graphic warnings on packets of cigarettes. Proposed graphic warnings will most likely affect the smoking habits of the public and the smokers would be made more likely to contemplate quitting smoking. Such a shift in attitude in the population could be a major impetus to reduce the smoking rate. However retrospective studies are recommended after the introduction of the graphic warnings to assess their true impact.
Highlights
BackgroundTobacco is the greatest single cause of preventable deaths globally according to WHO report, “Global Tobacco Epidemic” published in 2008 (1)
Several countries have taken measures to control the consumption of tobacco with usage and sales restrictions and warning messages printed on packages
Only 39 (36.79%) of them could identify the correct warning statement that is currently being printed on the packets of cigarettes in Sri Lanka
Summary
Tobacco is the greatest single cause of preventable deaths globally according to WHO report, “Global Tobacco Epidemic” published in 2008 (1). The American Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) describes tobacco use as the single most important preventable risk to the human health in developed countries and an important cause of premature deaths worldwide (2). Several countries have taken measures to control the consumption of tobacco with usage and sales restrictions and warning messages printed on packages. Tobacco use has been ranked as the number one major modifiable risk factor for non-communicable diseases by the report ‘Prevention and control of selected chronic NCDs in Sri Lanka’ by Michael Engelgu et all (4). Understanding the gravity of the problem, the Ministry of Health passed a regulation requiring tobacco products to contain graphic pictorial health warnings on 80% of the pack
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