Bangkok - AstraZeneca Thailand, in collaboration with Plan International Thailand, continues Young Health Programme (YHP) into its third year with the “World No Tobacco Day 2022” event. Conducted for more than 1,500 students at 12 primary and secondary schools in Greater Bangkok between 23 May and 7 June 2022, the event aims to raise awareness and ensure that young people in Thailand have increased knowledge about risk behaviours to prevent smoking-related disease.
Educational activities were organized to raise youth’s awareness of smoking-caused health effects, led by Plan International Thailand, AstraZeneca Thailand employees, and the Peer Educators who have completed YHP Peer Education training. Furthermore, the students shared their perspectives on living without tobacco and how young people can refuse and prevent smoking from reducing the risk of NCDs on the Young Health Programme Thailand social media.
The World No Tobacco Day (May 31) is an opportunity to raise awareness of tobacco use's harmful and deadly effects, both first-hand and second-hand smoke. Statistics show most people start smoking and become addicted to nicotine when they are still children. Those whose parents or siblings smoke are three times more likely to smoke than children living in non-smoking households. In addition, children who start smoking at a young age are more likely to smoke heavily and find it harder to give up.
The World Health Organization reports that smoking kills more than eight million people each year. More than seven million of them die from firsthand smoke, while over 1.2 million deaths are related to secondhand smoke. In Thailand, the National Statistical Office reveals that 10.7 million Thais are smokers. Of them, more than three million are youth. On average, up to 17.3 million Thais are exposed to secondhand smoke from family members. Exposing to secondhand smoke for 30 minutes is harmful to blood vessel lining, which then possibly leads to coronary artery disease2. Such exposure also raises the risks of various other NCDs, such as lung cancer, emphysema, respiratory disorders, heart and blood-vessel conditions, nervous-system issues, weaker body functions, and many other health problems.
The Young Health Programme Thailand, launched in November 2019, is a five-year programme that aims to contribute to the improved health and wellbeing of young people. It aims to ensure that young people in Thailand have increased knowledge about risk behaviours and NCD prevention, which gives them greater capacity to make informed decisions about their health through key educational and inspiring activities; on-the-ground NCD prevention sessions for young people, youth leadership and advocacy training, monthly campaigns and events linked to awareness, youth-friendly health service training for health professional, score-carding by peer educators, seminar on NCD prevention among young people, implement the advocacy strategy, and participation of young people in key advocacy events. The Young Health Programme Thailand hopes to directly reach more than 75,000 young people and community members with health information and NCD prevention programming. Indirectly, it expects to reach an additional 500,000 people in the broader community through campaigns and awareness-raising activities.
About AstraZeneca’s Young Health Programme
AstraZeneca’s Young Health Programme (YHP) is a global disease prevention programme with a unique focus on young people aged 10 to 24, living in vulnerable environments and under-resourced settings around the world. The YHP aims to prevent the most common non-communicable diseases (NCDs) such as cancer, diabetes, heart disease, respiratory disease, and mental ill health.
Delivered in partnership with Plan International and UNICEF and informed by research from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, it has reached more than 30 countries and 12 million youth with information about NCD risk behaviours. The YHP aims to support the development of protective environments and empower young people to make informed choices about their health. A holistic and integrated programme, it combines community programmes, research and advocacy and supports the development of young leaders. The YHP is part of AstraZeneca’s sustainability commitment to use our capabilities to make the most meaningful impact where society needs it - health.
To learn more about the Young Health Programme, please visit www.younghealthprogrammeyhp.com
AstraZeneca
AstraZeneca (LSE/STO/Nasdaq: AZN) is a global, science-led biopharmaceutical company that focuses on the discovery, development, and commercialisation of prescription medicines in Oncology, Rare Diseases and BioPharmaceuticals, including Cardiovascular, Renal & Metabolism, and Respiratory & Immunology. Based in Cambridge, UK, AstraZeneca operates in over 100 countries and its innovative medicines are used by millions of patients worldwide. Please visit astrazeneca.com and follow the Company on Twitter @AstraZeneca.
About Plan International Thailand
Plan International is a non-profit organization operating in more than 70 countries worldwide to promote, enhance, and protect children’s rights and ensure equality for girls. Plan International Thailand has been working in Thailand since 1981 to help build a just society using a Child Centered Community Development approach that puts children’s best interests as its top priority by working with children, young people, public/private partners, communities and families to drive positive changes that further children’s rights and gender equality at the local, national and global level. Please visit https://plan-international.org/thailand and follow on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/plan.thailand
Reference
1. World Health Organization (2022). World No Tobacco Day 2022. Available here: https://www.who.int/campaigns/world-no-tobacco-day/2022
2. National Statistic Office of Thailand (2017). Thailand Statistic of people who smoke in 2017. Available here: http://www.nso.go.th/sites/2014/Pages/News/2561/N31-08-61-1.aspx
3. World Health Organization (2022). Non-communicable Diseases Progress Monitor 2022. Available here: https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789240047761
4. Young Health Programme Thailand. https://www.younghealthprogrammeyhp.com/programmes/thailand.html
5. World Health Organization (2022). WHO raises alarm on tobacco industry environmental impact. Available here: https://www.who.int/news/item/31-05-2022-who-raises-alarm-on-tobacco-industry-environmental-impact