Prevalence of Tobacco Use and Its Associated Factors among School Going Adolescents in Birgunj Sub-Metropolitan, Nepal

Abstract

Tobacco use means consumption of any form of tobacco products either smoked or smokeless. Common used tobacco products are cigarette, cigars, pipe tobacco and favored Sisha tobacco, Surti/khaini, Panmasala, and Gutkha. It is one of the major causes of preventable mortality and morbidity worldwide. Objective of the study was to assess the prevalence of tobacco use and its associated factors among higher secondary school going adolescents of Birgunj Sub-metropolitan, Nepal. A schools based cross-sectional descriptive study was carried out using self-administrative questionnaire and it was prepared based on Global Youth Tobacco Survey. It was developed and validated for assessing the tobacco use among adolescents. Amongst 16 higher secondary schools, three public and three private schools were selected randomly. Similarly required sample (307) were recruited as proportionately from each school considering number of students studying in each selected school from August to December 2016. Prevalence of ever use of tobacco was 15.6 %. Cigarette was the most (70.8%) commonly used as tobacco product. The average age of initiation of tobacco use was 13.96++2.62 year. More than half (52.1%) of the tobacco users purchased tobacco from shops. Peer pressure (45.8%) was one of the major influencing factors of ever use of tobacco. Age, gender, friends pressure and parent's education were found significantly associated with ever use of tobacco among students. Nearly one-fifth adolescents used some type of tobacco products in last six month. Tobacco used by parents, peers and others family members at home and public places, and easy access of tobacco products were the major influencing factors of tobacco use among students. School and community based awareness programs and tobacco control legislations should be implemented consistently to control and discourage the consumption of tobacco products. Keywords: Adolescents, students, associated factors, tobacco use