Prevalence of Tobacco use among Adolescents in an Urban Slum Area of Bhubaneswar, Odisha

Use of tobacco is the second major cause of death in the world. Each year, tobacco products kill some 5 million people worldwide and this number is increasing. In India, approximately 5500 children and adolescents start using tobacco products daily, some as young as 10 years old. Objectives: To estimate the prevalence of tobacco use in urban field practice area of IMS and SUM Hospital and to identify the factors contributing towards it.

It was a community based cross sectional study conducted during June -August 2010 in the field practice area of IMS & SUM Hospital, Bhubaneswar. The sample size calculated was 300. Starting at random every 2nd household was visited and all the members 10 - 19 were included in the study. They were interviewed by predesigned and pretested questionnaire. Data on age, sex, tobacco use by them, tobacco use by other family members, knowledge regarding harmful effects etc. were collected. Statistical analysis comprised calculating proportions of tobacco users and cross-tabulation with the chi-square test.

The overall prevalence of tobacco use was 28.7%. Curiosity and peer pressure were the main reasons behind using tobacco. Tobacco use by parents or siblings had a significant influence on adolescents using tobacco. 65.1% of adolescent tobacco users were burrowing or stealing money for their tobacco use. 25.3% of adolescents had no knowledge regarding harmful effects of tobacco.

Tobacco use by family members influences adolescents, as they develop inclination towards tobacco use.