Doctors Role "Essential" in Reducing Health and Social Impacts of Smoking in the UAE, say International Expert; Only 11 Percent of Smokers looking to quit consult their Physicians, says Research
Dubai, United Arab Emirates: Local and international experts on the medical and social effects of smoking have gathered in Dubai to discuss a strategic plan to reduce its impact on health and wellbeing in the region.
Among the issues under discussion were the results of recent research that revealed that 54 percent of smokers in the UAE are younger than 30 years of age, demonstrating the scale of potential future health problems unless the widespread addiction to tobacco is curtailed.
Delegates at the meeting included Dr. Wedad Al Maidoor, Consultant Family Physician and Head of the UAE's Anti-Smoking Committee; Dr. Bassam Mahboub, Consultant Pulmonologist and member of the Anti-Smoking Committee; and Dr. Azan S. Binbrek, Consultant Cardiologist, Dubai Health Authorities.
They were joined by one of the world's most respected authorities on smoking cessation, Mitchell Nides, Ph.D, President of Los Angeles Clinical Trials and the Director of Picture Quitting, the Entertainment Industry's Quit Smoking Programme in America.
Head of the Anti-Smoking Committee Dr. Wedad Al Maidoor commented: "This meeting drew together some of the leading experts in the field of anti-smoking, who were all in broad agreement about the importance of reducing the number of smokers in the UAE. Smoking is one of the major causes of preventable death in the region and we will continue to increase our efforts to reduce its impact."
A major highlight of the meeting was a presentation by Nides on work being conducted in the US around encouraging higher numbers of smokers to quit the potentially fatal habit. During his visit to the region, Nides is delivering a series of lectures to doctors about the potential ways they can help patients to quit smoking, including new advances in the fields of pharmacologic and behavioural treatments.
He will look at pioneering new treatments, such as Champix, the non-nicotine treatment that has been launched in the UAE during Ramadan. Champix aids smoking cessation by reducing the severity of the smoker's urge to smoke and alleviating many withdrawal symptoms from nicotine. Moreover, if a person smokes a cigarette while receiving treatment, the medicine has the potential to diminish the sense of satisfaction associated with smoking. Since its launch in the US in July 2006, Champix had already helped more than 3 million smokers to quit.
Earlier in October, the treatment won the prestigious Prix Galien medal for Best Pharmaceutical Agent in 2007. Often described as the 'Nobel Prize' for applied medical research development, the award is widely regarded as one of the most prestigious honours in the international biomedical industry.
"What we are seeing the world over is that family doctors have a key role to play in helping to battle the scourge of smoking. I am delighted to meet with my peers in the UAE healthcare sector and hope that some of the research we have available will be useful in enabling smokers to quit this potentially fatal addiction," said Nides.
UAE Survey Data Revealed
One of the new pieces of research under discussion at the event was a research survey of over 500 smokers in the United Arab Emirates.
The research, which was conducted over the summer of 2007, aimed to analyse a random sample of smokers to determine their willingness to quit and the steps people are taking when they make the decision to quit smoking.
Within the research group of smokers, a total of 92 percent of smokers were male. A total of 54 percent were under 30; 27 percent were 30-39; 14 percent were 40-49; and 5 percent were over 50.
One of the most striking findings of the research was that only 11 percent of smokers who were actively motivated to quit had discussed their problem with their doctor. Some 66 percent of those surveyed believed that they would be able to quit on their own, even among the sub-group that had attempted to quit previously and been unsuccessful.
Some 66 percent of those surveyed said they had been diagnosed with hypertension, while 39 percent reported elevated cholesterol.
Dr. Bassam Mahboub, Consultant Pulmonologist and member of the Anti-Smoking Committee, said: "The research graphically demonstrates the potential impact of smoking on health and welfare in the UAE, as well as highlighting the responsibility that doctors have in tackling the condition. Physicians have a major role to play in combating this disease."
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© Press Release 2007
