Research Method LSS 2533
Assignment 1
- H00225779
Research questions and hypothesis
Q1:
RQ *How does smoking cause deaths?
H *Smoking causes deaths.
Q2:
RQ*Why do smokers have bad breath?
H* Smoker have bad breath.
Q3:
RQ*Can smokers be effected financially by smoking?
H* Smoking effects the financial status of smokers.
Q4:
RQ* Are friendships with non-smokers a social treatment?
H* Friendship with non-smokers are part of social treatment.
Q5:
RQ* Does smoking effect the smoker’s mood and make smokers angry?
H* Smoking effects the smoker’s mood and make them angry.
Background research report and justification
Smoking is one of the most impactful public health dangers worldwide. It is considered a leading cause of death, illness and impoverishment (WHO, 2016). Tobacco is a highly addictive substance with a well-documented impact on health. It can lead to serious respiratory and cardiovascular diseases, such as lung cancer and coronary heart disease (WHO, 2016). However, also its social burden is highly important. In accordance with addictive behaviour, smokers often deprive themselves and their families of income and raise the costs of health care.
In this research proposal, I would like to investigate the following questions: How can smoking lead to death? Why do smokers appear to have more problems with bad breath? What are the financial effects of smoking? Are friendships with non-smokers a form of social treatment? Can smoking effect the mood? I will then conclude with my proposal for research at the UAE.
The mortality caused by tobacco use or tobacco-related illness is estimated to be around 6 million people yearly (WHO, 2016). Cigarette smoking can harmfully impact a variety of organs in the body and thus lead to a premature death. It has been associated with cataracts and pneumonia, and is linked to one-third of all cancer deaths (NIDA, 2012). Most prominent cancer type associated with smoking is lung cancer, with about 90% of all cases linked to tobacco smoking (NIDA, 2012). However, also organs like the mouth, pharynx, larynx, stomach, pancreas, cervix, kidney and bladder can be affected. In addition, smoking can lead to increased risk of heart diseases, such as stroke, heart attack, vascular disease and aneurysm (NIDA, 2012). It is important to emphasize that not only direct use, but also second-hand smoke can result in these medical conditions.
The smoke of tobacco spreads to all parts of oral cavity. Thus, one of the impacts of constant tobacco use is on oral health. Smokers are reported to be more likely to suffer from sensitive teeth, tooth ache and social limitations because of oral health problems and their consequences, such as bad breath. In addition, they are less likely to visit a dentist (Meraw, 1998).
A variety of studies have shown that smoking, and especially, quitting the habitual smoking, will also impact your mental health and your mood. Smokers experience anxiety, irritability and depression once they stop smoking. These feelings can then be relieved by consuming tobacco again. It can thus create the image of psychological benefits. However, the smoking is the reason for these mood alterations in the first place. Quitting smoking has also been shown to reduce depression, anxiety and stress, in addition to improving the quality of life in general (Taylor et al., 2014).
Tobacco use can not only impacts societies in terms of healthcare costs and economical effect, but also affects the individual financial situation. The direct cost of smoking is the first factor which should be taken into consideration. However, there might be also some hidden costs of smoking: for example, it can increase the cost of a health insurance, car insurance (since smoking whilst driving can be considered a distraction), decrease the resale value of a home (stains from smoke on the wall, carpets and furniture). Thus, the cost of maintaining regular tobacco can be immense.
Being aware of these harmful effects of smoking on health and personal financial situation, most tobacco users want to quit. Here, medication and counselling may have beneficial outcomes. However, it is also important to integrate the users into non-smoking circles of friends. In doing this, one can minimize the exposure to the tobacco which can trigger memories of smoking and thus relapse. In addition, it can offer a support community and help to deal with the aversive effects of quitting smoking.
In conclusion, the topic of smoking is very important at personal as well as social-economic levels, and tobacco use impacts not only individuals, but whole societies. In my opinion, during the young adulthood, e.g., at a university, the risk of developing a smoking habit is especially high due to the factors such as group pressure and stress. I am interested to investigate the percentage of smokers at the UAE, as well as how it changes over time. Also, the distribution of smokers among genders and socio-economic statuses at the UAE versus the average population is particularly interesting for me. Answering these questions may help me learn more about the smoking patterns at the UAE.
References:
Meraw, S. (1998). Cigarette smoking and oral lesions other than Cancer. Clinics in
Dermatology, 16(5), 625-631. doi: 10.1016/s0738-081x(98)00048-0
Taylor, G., Mcneill, A., Girling, A., Farley, A., Lindson-Hawley, N., & Aveyard, P. (2014). Change in mental health after smoking cessation: systematic review and meta-analysis. Bmj,348(Feb13 1). doi:10.1136/bmj.g1151
WHO. (2016). WHO Tobacco. Retrieved from WHO website http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs339/en/
