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“
A
world-leading Sydney ear specialist has urged quicker adoption of new
graphic cigarette packet health warnings to increase public awareness
of smoking’s contribution to potentially deafening ear disease. As
part of Hearing Awareness Week (August 22-28), ear-nose-and-throat
specialist Dr Zoran Becvarovski has expressed concern that many
smokers are still unaware that they have a threefold increased risk of
serious middle ear disease. Dr
Becvarovski was co-author of a major 2001 study* showing smokers
increase their risk of diseases which may lead to further
complications both before and after surgery. “Our
study found that smokers
have an increased risk of middle ear disease,” says Dr Becvarovski.
“It also raises the risk of needing more complex surgery; of
complications after surgery, such as re-perforation and/or collapse of
the reconstructed eardrum and hearing mechanism, causing hearing loss;
and of long-term graft
rejection. “Three
years after that study, I find an alarming number of smokers who are
still unaware of these effects. It’s clear we need to update the
health warnings on our cigarette packets at the very least to better
inform smokers and potential smokers who are mostly children,” he
adds. Says
Anne Jones, Chief Executive of Action on Smoking and Health (ASH)
Australia: “We
need a resuscitation of flagging funding for mass media campaigns
warning smokers – including the 25% of high school students who are
weekly smokers - that tobacco can cause hearing problems as well as
cancer, heart disease and harm to others”, she says. *
Laryngoscope (2001);111:1806-1811
www.laryngoscope.com/
and www.ent.com.au/ Comment:
Dr Zoran Becvarovski
(m) 0421-342-404 Media inquiries: Stafford Sanders ph. (02) 9334-1823 |
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Page last updated on 26/8/04 |
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