The Global Youth Tobacco Survey - 2007. Comparison with the Global Youth Tobacco Survey 2001-2002 in Saudi Arabia.

OBJECTIVE: To primarily describe both smoking pattern in the youth population and a comparison with the Global Youth Tobacco Survey (GYTS) in 2001-2002. METHODS: The standard 2-stage methodology and a cross-sectional design were used to select randomly a representative sample of intermediate schools, classes, and students from all regions in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia from January to June 2007. RESULTS: Comparing results with the 2001 GYTS, the prevalence of ever and current smoking, use of other tobacco products, and initiation of smoking by never smokers in the next year increased among males, but with improvement in the students' knowledge and attitudes towards smokers. The second-hand tobacco smoke items were not distinguished, however, one or both parent smokers increased by 6% over 6 years. Media anti-smoking messages and awareness improved, however, the widespread display and proliferation of items with a cigarette brand logo on it, encourages participants to buy more cigarettes. Teaching hazards of smoking to students improved, however, the reasons why people of their age smoke were not discussed interactively. Females less than 18 years of age (minors) were not denied cigarette purchase compared to male participants of the same age. CONCLUSION: The National Tobacco Control Programs is apparently working effectively but differentially against smoking. The program needs to be evaluated systematically and accordingly and intensified further to reduce smoking among youths in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

Handedness and language cerebral lateralization.

Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) induces lateralized speech arrest consistent with cerebral dominance for language. Studies of language cerebral dominance in differently handed healthy subjects have been limited. Using a focal magnetic coil, we examined the degree of consistency between handedness as evaluated by the Stanley Coren Score and hemispheric dominance for language as determined by rTMS in 25 right- and 25 left-handed medical students. They were categorized according to the score into 24 strongly right-handed, 1 moderately right-handed, 19 strongly left-handed, 3 moderately left-handed and 3 ambidextrous (equally-handed). In the strongly right-handed subjects, left-sided language cerebral dominance was recorded in 87.5% of the subjects, and bilateral cerebral representation in 8.2%, and right-sided language cerebral dominance in 4.2%. In the strongly left-handed subjects, 73.7% had left-side language cerebral dominance, 15.8% had bilateral cerebral representation and 10.5% had right-side cerebral language dominance. In mixed handed subjects (moderately right, left and ambidextrous), bilateral cerebral representation was observed in 57% and left-side cerebral language dominance in 43%. There were 27 subjects who developed speech arrest at 140% of motor threshold, the others developed speech arrest at lower intensities. Speech lateralized to the left-side cerebral dominance in strongly right- and left-handed subjects, but bilateral cerebral representation was frequent in mixed handedness and right-sided cerebral dominance rarely occurred.