%0 Journal Article %T Prevalence and Characteristics of Smoking among Children under Eighteen Years: About the Investigation in Kabinda¡¯s Town, Lomami Province (Democratic Republic of Congo) %A Ndjibu Muepu Jacques %J Open Access Library Journal %V 6 %N 7 %P 1-13 %@ 2333-9721 %D 2019 %I Open Access Library %R 10.4236/oalib.1105521 %X
Background: Smoking is a major public health issue, responsible of high morbidity and mortality. The proportion of tobacco use among teenagers and the early age of initiation to tobacco is a disturbing and unacceptable reality. The aim of this study is to evaluate the prevalence and the characteristics associated with smoking among minors from eight to seventeen years. Methods: We conducted a prospective and descriptive cross-sectional study over a two weeks period, from 18 to 31 May 2014 (Kabinda¡¯s town, DR. of Congo). Individuals were interviewed according to the study parameters. The data obtained was analyzed by the software Epi Info 7.1. Results: The smoking prevalence of minors in this study was 20.2% (304 out of 1,506). The profile of the minor smoker was an individual aged 12 to 17 years, mean age of 14.3 ¡À 1.5 years, male (37.8% vs. 0.8%), illiterate or Secondary school, living in an incentive environment with low tobacco mobilization and growing pro-tobacco advertising. The age of the first smoking experience was between 10 and 17 years with a peak at 15 years and a mean age of 14.1 ¡À 1 year. The age between 13 to 17 years (p<0.0001), male sex (p<0.0001), and being illiterate or in secondary school (p 0.000) were associated with the risk of smoking tobacco. Conclusion: It is absolutely necessary to take measures to force the pressure of the tobacco epidemic (factors and context for tobacco use) in children to avoid the harmful consequences of tobacco.
%K Children %K Smoking %K Tobacco %K Kabinda %K DRC %U http://www.oalib.com/paper/5389904