Cigarette smoking among in-school adolescents in Yilo Krobo municipality in the Eastern Region of Ghana.

Akosua A Owusu-Sarpong,Kwame Agbeshie

doi:10.4314/gmj.v53i4.4

Abstract

Adolescent cigarette smoking is of public health importance since many adult smokers had initiated the habit as adolescents. This study aims to determine the prevalence of cigarette smoking among in-school adolescents in Yilo Krobo Municipality, Ghana and factors associated with cigarette smoking. A school-based cross-sectional analytic study was conducted in February 2017 in Yilo Krobo Municipality in the Eastern Region of Ghana. A stratified random sampling method was applied to select 700 students. After obtaining informed consent, structured questionnaires were administered to collect information on demographic characteristics, behaviours, family, peer and school factors. Data was entered into SPSS and analysed with level of significant as p-value of less than 0.05. Univariate, bivariate and multivariate analysis were applied to determine prevalence and risk factors of cigarette smoking. A total of 700 students participated in the study and the prevalence of cigarette smoking was 14.3% (100) and 77.5% (76) were introduced to smoking by their peers. Those who started smoking cigarette at the age of 10 years and below were 32% (32). Factors associated with cigarette smoking were being in JHS 1 (AOR:2.23, p=0.006), close friends smoking cigarette (AOR: 2.26, p=0.001), having drank alcohol before (AOR: 6.0, p<0.001) and having ever used marijuana (AOR: 6.48, p<0.001). However, recognizing marijuana usage to be wrong was protective against cigarette smoking (AOR: 0.58, p=0.006). Cigarette smoking among in-school adolescents exists in Yilo Krobo Municipality and school-based interventions such as counselling services on substance use should be implemented to address these behaviours. No external funding was received to conduct the study.

Highlights

Adolescent cigarette smoking is of public health importance since many adult smokers had initiated the habit as adolescents
Smoking in adolescents may be a marker of other harmful lifestyles such as engagement in illicit drug use, alcohol use, psychiatric illnesses and sexual intercourse.2A study conducted by the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in Kurdistan-Iraq reported the prevalence of tobacco use including cigarette smoking among in-school adolescents as 11.9%
A study conducted in Khartoum state in Nigeria showed smoking prevalence among adolescents to be 13.6% and students in public school were more likely to be smokers (10.7%) compared with those in private school (2.9%) with age of initiation being as early as 11 years old. 5,6

Summary

Introduction

Adolescent cigarette smoking is of public health importance since many adult smokers had initiated the habit as adolescents. The study further found that among current smokers boys were significantly more likely than girls (21.0% versus 2.1%) to smoke cigarette.[3] Another study conducted among in-school adolescents in Lithuania found the prevalence of cigarette smoking to be 35.8% and 27.1% among males and females respectively.[4] A study conducted in Khartoum state in Nigeria showed smoking prevalence among adolescents to be 13.6% and students in public school were more likely to be smokers (10.7%) compared with those in private school (2.9%) with age of initiation being as early as 11 years old. A study conducted in Khartoum state in Nigeria showed smoking prevalence among adolescents to be 13.6% and students in public school were more likely to be smokers (10.7%) compared with those in private school (2.9%) with age of initiation being as early as 11 years old. 5,6

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Methods

Conclusion