Knowledge, attitudes and behaviour on smoking and alcohol use in Curacao

ABSTRACT

The objectives of this paper are to describe the findings on knowledge and attitudes concerning substance use (tobacco and alcohol) among the participants of the Curacao Health Study and to relate these results to their behaviour. A random sample of the adult non-institutionalized population of Curacao (n=2248) were asked about their knowledge and attitudes on health lifestyle patterns and preventive behaviour. In this paper we specifically focus on smoking and use of alcohol. Men in Curacao use more alcohol and tobacco than women. The prevalence of self-reported smokers is markedly lower than, for instance, in the Dutch population and that of the U.S. and the difference between the sexes. In Curacao men generally also score lower on knowledge and attitudes regarding the use of tobacco and alcohol than women. Those actually exhibiting unhealthier lifestyles in this respect have lower scores than those having healthier lifestyles. The same relationship holds true for women, though less pronounced. Although knowledge, attitudes and behaviour are clearly associated with one another, the causal relationship between them is not unequivocal. Other factors may also play a role in influencing lifestyle changes. More research is needed to guide the further development and implementation of health promotion and intervention programmes in Curacao (AU)x