An Assessment on Tobacco use among Adolescents of Senior Higher Secondary Schools in Southern region of Rajasthan.

Arun Singh; Pranav Bhavsar; Reshma Reja

Volume : VIII, Issue : IV, April - 2019

An Assessment on Tobacco use among Adolescents of Senior Higher Secondary Schools in Southern region of Rajasthan.

Arun Singh, Pranav Bhavsar, Reshma Reja

Abstract :

AIMS: To estimate the level of tobacco use among school–going adolescents and also identify the factors that influence youth to use tobacco. Identification of the factors responsible for initiating tobacco use among adolescents will be useful for identifying the most effective interventions to prevent youths from taking up the tobacco habit. METHODOLOGY: This was a cross–sectional study which was conducted in adolescent students of grade 10, 11 and 12 from Sen. Higher secondary schools within Udaipur city of Rajasthan. Total 455 participants were included in the analysis.  RESULTS: The majority (51.7%) of the respondents were of the age group 16–17 years. Major proportion of boys (76.2%) participated in the study. Pan masala and gutkha were the most commonly used smokeless tobacco products. The average age of initiating tobacco use was 12.38 years. Nearly Half (51.9%) adolescent students were living in the family where at least one member uses tobacco. CONCLUSION: Immediate action to reduce adolescents‘ exposure to environmental tobacco smoke is necessary. Prohibiting tobacco use at school and monitoring the high–risk behaviour of adolescents in school is necessary.