Egypt Smoking Prevention Research Initiative

描述（由申请人提供）： 埃及是中东人口最多的国家。它是西方和阿拉伯国家之间的桥梁。吸烟和水烟以及吸烟引起的医疗并发症正在以惊人的速度增加。一半的埃及男性医生是吸烟者。该倡议的总体目标是建立研究和能力建设项目，以减少埃及的烟草使用。我们建议在埃及开展观察、干预和政策研究，并建设预防吸烟的能力。具体目标是：1.建立埃及预防吸烟研究所，在卫生和人口部内开展预防吸烟研究，并成为世界卫生组织合作中心; 2）对烟草使用、烟草危害和烟草使用风险因素进行流行病学监测和研究，包括与埃及特别相关的研究，例如，吸水烟筒和监测医生的高吸烟率; 3）进行分子流行病学研究，以确定与成瘾和烟草危害有关的遗传和环境风险因素; 4）开展干预研究，减少农村社区二手烟，减少医生和年轻人吸烟和水烟; 5）开展政策研究，研究法律法规的实施、执行和颁布，以保护公众免受烟草危害; 6）通过对卫生保健提供者、卫生教育工作者、政府工作人员、实验室人员和非政府组织进行长期和短期培训，建设能力并加强基础设施。美国和埃及调查人员将建立持久的伙伴关系。研究助理将通过他们在这些项目上的工作接受有关烟草问题的培训。将为卫生和人口部工作人员和媒体团体举办培训讲习班。此外，烟草管制联盟的成立将加强非政府组织作为烟草管制伙伴的作用。拟议的研究将大大增加埃及烟草控制工作的现有知识基础。ESPRI的建立以及埃及调查人员和研究助理的专业发展将加速埃及实现无烟的努力。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Egypt is the most populous country in the Middle East. It serves as a bridge between the West and the Arab countries. Cigarette and water pipe smoking and medical complications of tobacco use are increasing at an alarming rate. Half of male Egyptian physicians are smokers. The overall goal of this initiative is to establish research and capacity building projects to reduce tobacco use in Egypt. We propose to carry out observational, interventional and policy research in Egypt and build capacity for smoking prevention. Specific Aims are: 1) create the Egyptian Smoking Prevention Research Institute (ESPRI) to perform smoking prevention research within the Ministry of Health and Population (MOHP) and to become a World Health Organization Collaborating Center; 2) implement epidemiological surveillance and research on tobacco use, tobacco harm and risk factors for tobacco use including studies of special relevance to Egypt, e.g. smoking water pipes and monitoring the high smoking rate among physicians; 3) conduct molecular epidemiology research to identify genetic and environmental risk factors associated with addiction and tobacco harm; 4) conduct intervention research to reduce community second-hand tobacco smoke in villages and reduce cigarette and water pipe smoking in physicians and young adults; 5) carry out policy research to study implementation, enforcement, and enactment of laws and regulations to protect the public from tobacco harm; 6) build capacity and strengthen infrastructure by long- and short-term training of health care providers, health educators, government workers, laboratory personnel and non-governmental organizations. Lasting partnerships will be established between U.S. and Egyptian investigators. Research associates will be trained on tobacco-related issues through their work on these projects. Training workshops will be conducted for MOHP staff and media groups. In addition, the formation of a tobacco control coalition will strengthen the role of non-governmental organizations as partners in tobacco control. The proposed studies will add significantly to the current knowledge base in tobacco control efforts specific to Egypt. The establishment of the ESPRI and the professional development of Egyptian investigators and Research Associates will accelerate Egypt's efforts to become tobacco free.