Slovak Partners Suggest Educating Kindergarteners on Smoking Prevention

Dr. Elena Kavcova, staff physician at the Martin Faculty Hospital in Slovakia, the CEE partner of AIHA's graduated Banska Bystrica-Martin/Cleveland partnership, gave an anti-smoking talk and presented two posters August 6-11 at the 11th World Conference on Tobacco or Health in Chicago, Illinois. In keeping with the conference's theme, "Challenges to Tobacco Control for Eastern Europe in the 21st Century," the posters and presentation summarized analysis of tobacco control management and smoking cessation programs implemented from 1998 to 1999 in the Slovak Republic.

During her talk, Kavcova discussed the results of a study conducted with colleagues that focused on current smoking habits and trends in Slovakia. The research indicates that smoking habits originate during the early teens and progress through adolescence, a period during which education can play an important role. Based on this research, Kavcova suggests that primary smoking prevention activities should target children as early as kindergarten age, while secondary prevention activities target teens before they can fully develop smoking habits.

Dr. Kavcova (left) and Sangita Patel, USAID health communications advisor during the 11th World Conference on Tobacco or Health in Chicago.

"The Evaluation of the International Support and Collaboration in a Municipal Tobacco Control Project," Kavcova's second poster, began as a project supported by USAID and AIHA--involving The MetroHealth System in Cleveland, Ohio--and endorsed by the Martin city parliament. The study evaluated all tobacco prevention and non-smoking promotion activities in Martin from 1998 to 1999 and presented data on the smoking habits of the population, their opinions on tobacco control programs, and their attitudes toward smoking cessation. As a result of the statistics gathered during the epidemiological surveys, a comprehensive Non-Smoking Promotion Center was established through the international collaboration of the Banska-Bystrica/Cleveland partners to educate the public about smoking prevention and cessation (for more information, see the June 1999 issue of Connections).

This is the second time that Kavcova has given presentations promoting smoking cessation and tobacco control this year. In June 2000, she presented a poster titled "AIHA and Smoking Prevention Municipal Program," at the Global Health Council Conference (for more information, see the July 2000 issue of Connections).

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