Abstract

ABDELAZIZ, A. Ben et al. Attitudes of teachers to tobacco smoking. East. Mediterr. health j. [online]. 2007, vol.13, n.4, pp. 907-915. ISSN 1020-3397.

We aimed to evaluate the attitudes of teachers to tobacco smoking in Kalaa Kebira (a semi-urban region in the Tunisian Sahel). Data from 358 of 402 teachers surveyed were obtained using a self-completed questionnaire. The mean age of the teachers was 35.7 (SD 7.9) years. The prevalence of smoking was 29.3% (51.6% of men and 3.6% of women), and 79% of smokers were addicted to nicotine according to the Fagerström test. About 50% of the teachers were badly-informed about the dangers of smoking and 75.2% of smoking teachers did not refrain from smoking in front of their pupils. The lack of knowledge of teachers limits their role as a model and information source in the anti-tobacco struggle. It is essential to draw up an education programme for the teaching staff.