Current Status of Tobacco Consumption and its Socio-economicImpact among the Adolescent Students

Abstract

The Study based on "Current Status of Tobacco Consumption and its Socio-economic Impact among the Adolescent Students" on Damak municipality ward no-13 of Jhapa district. This study is mainly based on the primary data collected from eight schools, from each schools 25 students which includes 200 students taken from systematic sampling method. This descriptive and analytical study of tobacco use among adolescent students of Damak Nagarpalika of Jhapa District explored their tobacco consumption behavior,knowledge on hazardous effect and influencing factors for initiating tobacco use. The above finding explored the current status of tobacco consumption among adolescent student. The overall prevalence of the tobacco was seen 16.4% for any type of tobacco product.The prevalence of tobacco consumption was 21.7% among boys and lower (10.4%) in girls. Among ever user, more than 2/3 rd (69.8 %) of the student were boys and only30.2% were girls. The overall prevalence was significantly higher in student of government school than private school.The prevalence increased with age for both sexes.Among tobacco user, there was a large proportion(41.0%)of occasional user. Among boys majority (36.3%) were regular user and in girls majority was (47.4%) in occasional user. Most of the ever-users initiated tobacco use by13.24years of age (for boys 12.8and for girl found 13.39 years) and 6.3% of the respondent were started tobacco before10 years. More than One-fifth(22.2%) of ever tobacco users initiated tobacco between10-12 years of age.The main cause of the tobacco initiation was peer pressure. More than half (55%) of the student reported initiating factor as peer pressure. Nearly 47% of the respondent noted to have a test only.Tobacco use by parents was also influencing factors for tobacco use of adolescent students. A substantial proportion of adolescent students were exposed to the tobacco use behavior of parents. Regarding the level of knowledge on bad consequences of tobacco use, it was satisfactorily. (42.5%) were categorized as have good knowledge. majority (43.3%) were seen to have average knowledge and only(14.2%) were found poor knowledge on hazardous effect of tobacco use.The existence of wrong perception of school students about tobacco use was also evident from the findings.Nearly one fourth 24% of student reported agree toward the statement “Tobacco iv user have more friends”. Among ever user, nearly three fourth 72.5% agreed to the statement and only 12.9% disagreed to the statement.Those students who belief tobacco consumption is appropriate were more likely to have tobacco consumed as compared to those who reported tobacco consumption as not appropriate/can’t say. Form above finding adolescent student initiated tobacco not only by peer pressure but also by exposed to the parents. Starting tobacco from childhood increases the risk of addiction to tobacco related things. There is increasing resistance to advertisement in the developed world but the young adolescents in the developing countries are more vulnerable. Adolescent students have knowledge on hazardous effect of tobacco useal though they are still using tobacco product, it may be due to low awareness level and lack of positive attitude to their own health. Another reason may be that they are following the fashionable world.