* Department of Community Medicine, Pt. B.D. Sharma PGIMS, Rohtak
** Department of Community Medicine, Pt. B.D. Sharma PGIMS, Rohtak
*** Department of Community Medicine, Pt. B.D. Sharma PGIMS, Rohtak
**** Department of Community Medicine, Pt. B.D. Sharma PGIMS, Rohtak
***** School of public health, PGIMER, Chandigarh.
****** Department of Community Medicine, Pt. B.D. Sharma PGIMS, Rohtak
*Address for correspondence: Dr. Ramesh Verma 239, Subhash Nagar, Rohtak-124001 (Haryana) Ph.: 01262-210057 (R) Mobile: 0-94163-81012 dr.rameshverma@yahoo.co.in
Online published on 1 October, 2011.
Tobacco use is one of the major preventable causes of death and disability worldwide. WHO estimates that 4.9 million deaths annually are attributable to tobacco use.
Research questions
What is the magnitude of problem of tobacco users among school going adolescents in a rural block of Haryana?
Objectives
1. To study the prevalence of tobacco use
2. To assess the correlate factors of tobacco use.
Study Design
A cross-sectional descriptive type of study.
Setting
Schools of Beri block, District Jhajjar.
Participants
School going adolescents (10–19 years).
Simple size
Total sample size was 1260.
Study Variables
Age, Sex, Type of tobacco products, Influencing factors, Awareness about health problems.
Results
Overall prevalence of ‘ever users’ of tobacco products was 203 (17.4%). Prevalence of ever users among boys and girls was 197 (27%) and 7 (1.6%) respectively. Prevalence of ‘current users’ of tobacco products was 169 (14.5%). Majority 89.6% of current users had initiated smoking between the age 10 and 14 years (median age 12 years). The differences in prevalence according to age (p < 0.001) was statistically significant while in relation to caste was found non-significant (p>.067).
