In a city modeled for its anti-smoking law, male residents smoke the most, a recent survey said.
In a recent study conducted by PhilCare, a Health Maintenance Organization (HMO) promoting wellness on Filipinos, results show that among the 81 male respondents, a total of 65 or 80% of them smoke an average of 10 sticks of cigarettes per day.
Of the 69 female respondent, on the other hand, only 5 or 7% of the total respondents smoke.
“The number of sticks per day, nationwide is 4, in Mindanao it’s 9, and in Davao it’s 10,” lead researcher Dr. Fernando Paragas, a Mass Communication associate professor of the University of the Philippines said during the media briefing on Monday.
And despite that they are smoking 10 or more sticks a day, these Davaoenos have rated themselves as “better in terms of health and wellness” amid unpreparedness for medical emergencies.
When asked about their medical wellness, the surveyed Davaoeños said they either lack monetary resources for medical-related expenses or did not have regular check-ups compared to other Filipinos.
“Davaoeños and the Mindanaoans appear to be uncertain to saving and investing compared to most Filipinos,” Paragas said, pointing out the varying numbers of the recorded results.
In the study in which the results ranges from a seven-point scale, (1 as very good; 2 as good; 3 and 4 as somewhat good; 5 and 6 as somewhat bad; and 7 as very bad), Davaoeños said they are in a “worse shape” in terms of their financial welfare. They scored 4.38 which is interpreted as “neither good nor bad”.
The cited result means that they do not earn that much as others and are in less of a position to save and invest, as this can be a factor for their unpreparedness for medical emergencies.
Davaoeños also fared worst than most other Filipinos in terms of lifestyle wellness, scoring 3.72 which is classified as “neither good or bad” compared to the “somewhat good” nationwide average of 3.12, that is according to the data gathered by PhilCare.
For over a decade, the city has been imposing an anti-smoking ordinance that prohibits residents for smoking in public places. The ordinance has been copied by other provinces, cities and municipalities.
