Title: Tobacco Use among Adolescent Students of Grade 8, 9 and 10 from Secondary Schools, Kota, Rajasthan
Authors: Rahul Meena, Shivraj Meena, Deepika Mittal, Neelam Meena, R K Manohar
DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.18535/jmscr/v5i3.53
Abstract
Background: This is the first representative study in Rajasthan to ascertain the factors that influence adolescents' decisions to initiate tobacco use in addition to information on their use of different types of tobacco products. Thus, an aim of this study was estimate the level of tobacco use among school-going adolescents.
Methods: This was a cross-sectional study which was conducted in adolescent students of grade 8, 9 and 10 from secondary schools within kota city of Rajasthan. 2032 questionnaires (1228 from government schools and 804 from non-government schools) were included in the analysis.
Result: The majority (51.7%) of the respondents were of the age group 13-15 years. Nearly equal proportion of boys (51.5%) and girls (48.5%) participated in the study. Pan masala and gutkha were the most commonly used smokeless tobacco products. About half (51.4%) boys and one-third (30.3%) girls ever used pan masala or gutkha. The average age of initiating tobacco use was 12.64 years.
Conclusion: • Health education programs should be provided to adolescent students to raise the level of awareness of the hazards of tobacco use and to change their perceptions. More anti-tobacco messages in the print, radio and/or television and psycho-social support to help students to develop a positive self-image to counter-act the pro-tobacco message are necessary.
Keywords: Tobacco, adolescent, smoker, students.
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