Abstract
The aim of this study was to estimate the prevalence and identify correlates of second-hand tobacco smoke (SHS) among 6,412 current non-smoking school-going adolescents (aged 11 to 18 years) in South Africa. A cross-sectional study was carried out in 2008 in South Africa within the framework of the Global Youth Tobacco Survey. Overall, 25.7% of students were exposed to SHS at home, 34.2% outside of the home and 18.3% were exposed to SHS at home and outside of the home. Parental and close friends smoking status, allowing someone to smoke around you and perception that passive smoking was harmful were significant determinants of adolescent’s exposure to both SHS at home and outside of the home. Identified factors can inform the implementation of public health interventions in order to reduce passive smoking among adolescents.
Highlights
Worldwide, 40% of children, 33% of male non-smokers, and 35% of female non-smokers, were exposed to Second-hand Tobacco Smoke (SHS) in 2004, while in Africa 12.5% of children wereInt
25.7% of participants were exposed to second-hand tobacco smoke (SHS) at home, 34.2% outside of the home, and 18.3% were exposed to SHS at home and outside of the home
The study found a moderate exposure to SHS among this sample of school-going current non-smoking adolescents in South Africa in 2008, 25.7% were at home and 34.3% were outside of the home exposed to SHS
Summary
40% of children, 33% of male non-smokers, and 35% of female non-smokers, were exposed to Second-hand Tobacco Smoke (SHS) in 2004, while in Africa 12.5% of children were. Res. Public Health 2011, 8 exposed to SHS [1]. Among school-going adolescents in Uganda 17.9% were exposed to SHS at home while 48.7% were exposed to SHS outside of the home [2]. Exposure to SHS in children contributes significantly to morbidity and mortality [1,3]. Age group, parental and close friends smoking status [2,4,5,6], and low perceived susceptibility [7] were found to be significantly associated with adolescent’s exposure to SHS
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