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■香港大學的研究調查指出，本地女煙民數目持續上升。資料圖片
本港女性吸煙現象日趨普遍。雖然女煙民僅佔整體煙民12%，但在男煙民數量下降的同時，女煙民卻呈上升之勢。香港大學的研究顯示，84.9%女煙民因情緒焦慮而吸煙；近1/3對尼古丁有嚴重依賴；70.8%人曾試圖戒煙但終告失敗，加上女煙民擔心戒煙致肥，亦增戒煙難度。
香港大學醫學院護理學系主任陳肇始表示，女性吸煙原因與男性不同，大部分女煙民因焦慮和抑鬱不安而吸煙，但聯誼及朋輩影響是男煙民的吸煙原因。女煙民的年齡介乎12至29歲和30至39歲。研究亦發現，男性的戒煙成功率為28.4%，女性則為21.9%。
為了解女煙民的吸煙習慣，港大對332名接受女性戒煙輔導服務的煙民進行研究，其中32.2%人對尼古丁有嚴重依賴性，70.8%人曾戒煙，當中92.8%人曾戒煙1至5次。
港大公共衛生學院院長林大慶表示，吸煙容易引起女性疾病，降低受孕機會。他引用研究數據指出，42.8%參加者為改善儀容而戒煙，另有85.2%為改善健康而戒煙。但59.6%人過往因戒煙方法不正確，或使用尼古丁補充劑不當而戒煙屢敗；也有女性擔心戒煙後體重上升，增加戒煙難度。接受該醫學院6個月跟進後，26.5%參加者成功戒煙，其餘參加者也減少吸煙數量。
Fewer Male Smokes but More Female Smokers
Smoking prevalence among women is on the rise in Hong Kong although female smokers account for just about 12% of the total number of smokers. While the number of male smokers is decreasing, that of female smokers is increasing. According to a survey by the University of Hong Kong, 84.9% of the female smokers took to smoking due to anxiety and one third of them had severe nicotine dependence. Of the participants in the survey, 70.8% had attempted to quit smoking but failed. The fear of gaining weight after giving up cigarettes had added up to more difficulties in quitting.
Dr Chan Siu-chee, head of the Department of Nursing Studies, University of Hong Kong, said that female smokers had different reasons for smoking from those of male smokers. Most females smoked because of anxiety or depression whereas men usually smoked for socializing or under peer influence. Most female smokers fell in the age groups of 12 to 29 and 30 to 39. An earlier study by the University of Hong Kong had also found that the success rate of quitting among male smokers was 28.4% and that of female smokers was 21.9%.
In an attempt to understand the smoking habits of women, the University of Hong Kong conducted a survey which involved 332 female smokers receiving smoking cessation service for women. 32.2% had severe nicotine dependence. In addition, 70.8% had before attempted quitting; among them, 92.8% had had one to five previous attempts.
Professor Lam Tai-hing, head of School of Public Health, said that smoking could cause women specific diseases and reduce the chance of pregnancy. As for reasons of quitting, 42.8% of the participants cited improvement of appearance and 85.2% cited improvement of health. However, 59.6% failed in their previous attempts due to either incorrect quitting methods or improper use of nicotine replacements. Some women were hindered by the fear of gaining weight after giving up smoking. Upon completion of the 6-month follow-up counseling in the University's Faculty of Medicine, 26.5% successfully quitted smoking and the rest consumed fewer cigarettes than before. ■Translation by開明
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