Cha`o ca'c ba'c smoking,
>>I still favour my proposal of a genetic
>>study. I mean, questions like "why there are more
>>men smoking than women" is rather boring. Psychologists
>>and sociologists may want to muck around with this
>>sort of answers. OK, let us say we find the answer,
>>then so what? :)
>
>Ba'c na`y tuye^n true^`n cho genetic qua' -di.
Tro+`i o+i! ma^'y tay la`m research be^n
social science buo^`n cu+o+`i la('m ba'c a`. Ho.
no'i hay la('m, nhu+ng khi ddu.ng dde^'n
quatitative stuff la` ho. cha.y quanh qua^?n nhu+
ga` ... Bo+?i va^.y tui mo+'i ke^u Hoa`ng la`m
the^m ve^` genetics of smoking. Bie^'t la` kho^ng
na(`m trong ca'i scope cu?a Hoa`ng's research
project, nhu+ng dda^u co' ha.i gi` khi mi`nh la^'y
ma'u va` freeze ddo' dde^? sau na`y du`ng cho
DNA analysis.
>Suppose we know that women smoke less than men
>because they have less socio-economic power, then we
>know that as their socio-economic power increases
>their smoking will increase, then we know they are
>an emerging market for tobaco companies, then we know
>to pre-empt their marketting activities, then we know
>to pay more attention to preventing teenage/school girls
>from taking up smoking, etc.
My "problem" with the question and answer
of "why there are more men smoking than women" is
that (a) we can guess the answer(s) (just by
common sense); (b) even with an answer, it will
lead us to a limited solution; and (c) the
question itself does not present a clear endpoint
of the study. Let me elaborate a little bit on
these points:
I believe that numerous studies of this
kind have been done in the West in relation to
this issue. For example, we know that teenage
smokers tend to be more influenced by peers
rather than by image. We do know that in
Vietnam, men are the family's "economic
engine"; they have to socialise and hence
take up smoking in their contacts. And,
because we can guess the answer, then why
should we spend money to do the research?
(If I am an agency who provides money for
research, I would ask this question.)
Experience in the West has given us many
valuable lessons and we should learn from them.
For example, in Australia the prevalence of
smoking decreased from 30% to 20% within 5 years
of TOTAL banning tobacco ads. Why can VN do
the same? The answer may be linked to the fact
that VNese tobacco companies make a lot of
money and the government does not want to touch
them. Well, many VNese politicians are smokers
anyway, so they do not have a gut to fight
smoking.
Chu+a the^'y quan ta`i chu+a ddo^? le^.!
VN has not seen the link between smoking and
lung cancer, heart diseases and pregnancy yet.
The real issue for Vietnam is to demonstrate
the link in Vietnam and among the Vietnamese,
not to answer qualitative question such as
"why men smoke and women do not?".
Any research project ought to have a
clear and measureable endpoint. I do not think
the question posed by Hoang is an endpoint. In
fact, it sounds like a survey rather than a
research project. That is why I suggest to
include a more quantitative component to the
project.
However the situation we are talking here
is slightly different: now somebody is going to
give Hoang money to do research, then it is no
problem. But, why not use this opportunity to
follow our own agenda of research, eg genetics
of smoking.
>Anyway, you "so what" question applies to your
>any genetic answer that you can come up with too.
Well, I am a strong believer in genetics
and environmental interaction theory. If we can
isolate the gene(s) and their associated
environments that regulate smoking behaviour,
then we can design a better public health
campaign to target certain groups of people who
are at risk. Besides, this is a new area of
research, where VN can make contribution.
I do not think VN should do "me too"
research projects. It is better to lead than to
follow.
==
Tuan V Nguyen
Email: rknguyen@yahoo.com
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