title: Perception on the Relationship between Cancer and Usage of Tobacco and Alcohol in Hail, Saudi Arabia.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Increasing alcohol consumption in many countries is an important cause of cancer worldwide. The aim of this study was to evaluate the burden of tobacco use and alcohol consumption and its related perception among population of Hail, Saudi Arabia.
  
  
  METHODS
  A cross-sectional survey from March to April 2012 covering 451 participants, in the city of Hail, Northern Saudi Arabia.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Out of 451 respondents, 355(78.7%) were male and 96 (21.3%) were female giving a male to female ratio of 3.7:1. The age range of respondents was 11 - 77 years with a mean of 32 years. Prevalence of tobacco use and alcoholic beverages consumption were 30.3% and 7.5%, respectively. Most of the tobacco users and alcohol consumers showed positive knowledge concerning the relation between tobacco use and/or alcohol consumption and cancer.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  It is evident that the prevalence of tobacco consumption is rising in the Hail region. Female participation in tobacco and alcohol related studies in the Hail - Saudi Arabia represent a major obstacle since it is considered as social stigma due to complete prohibition by law.
authors.affiliation: Vice Dean, Department of Family and Community Medicine, College of Medicine, University of Hail , Kingdom of Saudi Arabia .
authors.forename: Ibrahim Abdelmageed
authors.initials: IA
authors.lastname: Ginawi
keywords: Alcohol; Cancer; Tobacco; Tobacco consumption