DOI: 10.36347/sjams.2017.v05i10.052

Pages: 4074-4079

Tobacco use in India is characterized by a high prevalence of smoking and smokeless tobacco use, with dual use also contributing a noticeable proportion. This abuse which is the cause of several respiratory diseases generally starts in adolescence and tracks across the life course. In this context a cross-sectional study was carried out among school going adolescents in district Kullu in north India. The purpose of this study was to assess the prevalence of tobacco habits among school children and to determine the association of socio demographic and other risk factors with tobacco abuse among the study subjects. Multi stage cluster random design and PPS sampling methodology was adopted. A sample of 3000 students both from rural and urban areas studying in 20 government and private senior secondary schools was selected. Collected data was analyzed using Epi-info version 7). Among the study participants 505(17.6%) had used tobacco in any form at least once in their lifetime. There were 254(8.9%) current users and 93(3.2%) regularly consumed tobacco. Smoked form of tobacco was the more frequent form of usage. There were 147 participants who had tried both forms of tobacco once in their lifetime, while similar figures for current and regular users were 62 and 10 participants respectively. Curiosity (51.4%) and need to get relax (35%) were the most common reasons for initiating the tobacco products. On univariate analysis, the strongest association of prevalence of tobacco use was with those participants whose friends were also involved in tobacco consumption followed by male students and those with a history of tobacco abuse in the family. Our research lends support to the need for intervention on restricting adolescents from taking up this habit. Parents who smoke should quit this habit, which will not only restore their own health, but also protect their children. There is necessity to bring positive behavioural changes through adoption of comprehensive awareness pro