IJCM_350A: Tobacco Abuse Among Adolescents in Shivamogga

Abstract

Background: Tobacco and alcohol are very commonly used by the youth in urban and rural areas. NFHS-3 data shows that, among adolescents, 29% and 4% is the prevalence of tobacco use among males and females respectively. These numbers represent the overall usage of tobacco in some form, either cigarette, beedis or gutka. Studies have also shown a direct relationship between depression and prevalence of higher daily smoking rates. Objective: To estimate the prevalence of tobacco abuse among adolescents Methodology: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 700 adolescent boys and girls aged 16-19 years in rural and urban field areas of SIMS Shivamogga from August 2020 to September 2020. A pre-tested semi structured questionnaire which included questions on demographic details and tobacco consumption was used to collect data. Data was entered into Microsoft Excel spread sheet. SPSS (Version 21) was used to perform statistical analysis. Results were expressed in terms of frequency and percentages. Results: The prevalence of smoking among urban and rural adolescents was 9.1% and 11.1% respectively. Pan masala was the most common form of smokeless tobacco used. Conclusion: The prevalence of tobacco use among adolescents in Shivamogga aligns consistently with findings observed in comparable studies conducted across various regions of India.