Pelita Harapan University (UPH) assists youth to quit smoking through the Stop Smoking Movement (GEBROK). The community development program involves UPH Faculty of Medicine students who are members of slot77 the Center for Indonesian Medical Students Activities (CIMSA) organization.
GEBROK initiator, Allen Widysanto, explained, This program consists of six modules facilitated by a mentor. Mentors are responsible for a small group consisting of 5-6 middle to high school age participants from various schools.
“Every week, the group will receive one module which is taught for one hour,” said Allen, in his official statement, Monday (3/7).
Allen, who is the first professor of pulmonology in Indonesia from a private university, explained that the first module contains an understanding of basic theories related to tobacco use. Participants will also know the long and short term consequences of smoking.
“Participants were also asked to determine their desired smoking cessation date,” added the UPH Professor of Pulmonology and Respiratory Medicine.
In the second module, he continued, participants will receive training on the four strategic approaches used to stop smoking. Third, the progress of each participant in reducing the number of cigarettes consumed will be evaluated.
In the fourth module, participants will be motivated to think of strategies that will keep them from smoking and relax at home. The fifth module aims to assess the progress of each participant and identify strategies that have been implemented to reduce smoking.
“Sixth, participants were asked to reflect on efforts to stop smoking that had been made since joining the program from start to finish,” he explained.
Allen revealed, the program showed positive results. In 2015, eight out of 11 participants successfully quit smoking, in 2016 10 out of 10 participants successfully quit smoking, and in 2017 seven out of 11 participants successfully quit smoking.
“The GEBROK program is still ongoing every year consistently. Even though the Covid-19 pandemic occurred in 2020 to 2022, students are still enthusiastic about running this program even though it is online,” he said.
Allen said, smoking among adolescents is a greater threat than in adulthood. The ease of obtaining cigarettes also has an impact on the long-term health of adolescents.
“The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) warns that if smoking behavior in adolescents continues, there will be 5.6 million people aged less than 18 years who will die early from smoking-related diseases for slot,” he said.
