Television and Internet as sources of women knowledge of tobacco smoking, alcohol consumption and energy drinks impact on health
Strycharz-Dudziak, Młgorzata.; Nakonieczna-Rudnicka, M.; Bachanek, T.; Kobyłecka, Eżbieta.
Przeglad Lekarski 71(11): 624-628
2014
ISSN/ISBN: 0033-2240 PMID: 25799858 Document Number: 675649
Accessibility of the Internet allows obtaining information on different areas of life, including the impact of smoking, alcohol consumption and energy drinks on health. Environmental exposure to tobacco smoke and active smoking are a serious risk for women's health, especially for women in reproductive age and children at any time in their lives. Alcohol is a risk factor for the development of general diseases, and consumed by pregnant women has a toxic effect on the body of women and a child in the prenatal period. Due to the increased consumption of energy drinks containing among others nervous system stimulants and carbohydrates, their consumption should be a conscious choice of the consumers. Knowledge of the health risks resulting from the lifestyle can be a decisive factor for the implementation of health behaviour. The aim of the study was to determine the sources from which men and women acquire information concerning the effects of cigarette smoking, alcohol consumption and energy drinks on health. The respondents interest in the above mentioned subjects was also evaluated. The survey study was carried out in a group of 160 persons (114 women and 46 men), aged 19-60 years, randomly selected from the patients presenting to the Department of Conservative Dentistry with Endodontics of the Medical University of Lublin. An author's questionnaire was prepared for this research. The data were analyzed statistically with the use of Pearson's X2 test. Statistically significant test values were those with p<0.05. The internet was a source of information about the impact of smoking cigarettes on health for 52.63% women and 56.52% men, about the alcohol effect on health for 57.02% women and 45.65% men, while about energy drinks for 61.40 % of women and 47.83% men. Differences between sex of the respondents and indicated source of information were not statistically significant. Obtaining information from television programmes on the impact of smoking on health reported 70.18% of women and 63.04% of men, about alcohol consumption - 66.67% women and 58.70% men respectively. There was no statistically significant correlation between sex of the respondents and obtaining information concerning cigarette smoking and alcohol consumption. Women showed significantly more frequently TV programmes as a source of information about energy drinks (61.40%) compared to males (43.48%) (X2 = 4.28, p <0.05). Interest in the subject of the impact of smoking, alcohol consumption and energy drinks on health was not dependent on sex of the respondents. Most women acquire knowledge about the effects of cigarette smoking, alcohol consumption and energy drinks on health from TV programmes, although the internet is an increasingly important source of information in this respect.