Despite the growing problem of global cigarette use, accurate information on the prevalence and pattern in Nigerian adolescents’ remains sparse. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of cigarette smoking among in-school male adolescents in Nigerian population and to assess their level of knowledge on the health effects of cigarette smoking. A descriptive cross-sectional study was carried out among 944 randomly selected in-school male adolescents in Owerri, south-east Nigeria, between September and November 2013. Information was obtained using a self-administered questionnaire. The findings indicated a prevalence of 15.3% for ever smoked adolescents and 11.2% for current smokers. The mean age at cigarette smoking initiation was 14 years. Sixty-three percent had good knowledge of health problems associated with cigarette smoking. Lung cancer was the most reported associated health problem. Fifty-two (36.1%) indicated that they were initiated by their friends who offered them their first stick of cigarette. The major reason for smoking cigarette the first time was to be like their friends/role model and out of curiosity. Poor knowledge of health effects of smoking was statistically associated with cigarette smoking (X2 = 26.82, p-value < 0.001). Knowledge of health problems associated with smoking proved to be the major reason for not smoking by never smoked adolescents, which means that awareness creation on health problems associated with cigarette smoking through health education in schools coupled with stiff legislative ban on sale of cigarette to adolescents will, to a reasonable extent, reduce the high prevalence of adolescent cigarette smoking in our society.
References
[1]
Kumari, V. and Peggy, P. (2006) Nicotine Use in Schizophrenia: The Self Medication Hypotheses. Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews, 29, 1021-1034. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.neubiorev.2005.02.006
[2]
World Health Organization (1983) Smoking Control Strategies in Developing Countries. Technical Report Series, WHO, Geneva.
[3]
Bartecchi, C.E., Mackenzie, T.D. and Schrier, R.W. (1995) The Global Tobacco Epidemic. Scientific American Journal, 272, 44-51.
[4]
Peto, R. (1994) Mortality from Smoking in Developing Countries, 1950-2000. Oxford University Press, Oxford.
[5]
Kartasasmita, C.B. (1990) Risk Factors in Smoking Habits of High-School Students. Pediatrica Indonesiana, 30, 31-14.
[6]
Gerber and Newman (1989) Smoking, Drinking, and Drug Use in Young Adulthood: The Impact of New Freedom and New Responsibilities, Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Mahwah, 50.
[7]
Gachman, J.G. (1997) Smoking, Drinking, and Drug Use in Young Adulthood: The Impact of New Freedom and New Responsibilities. Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Mahwah.
[8]
World Health Report (2002) Prevalence of Tobacco Smoking in Nigeria. WHO, Geneva. http://tobacco.who.int/repository/tld100/Nigeria.pdf
[9]
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Nigeria (2007) Cross River State Global Youth Tobacco Survey. CDC, Atlanta. www.cdc.gov/tobacco/global/gyts/factsheets/pdf_files/nigeria_crs.pdf
[10]
Elegbeleye, C. and Femi-Pearse, D. (1978) Incidence and Variables Contributing to the Onset of Cigarette Smoking among Secondary School Children and Medical Students in Lagos Nigeria. British Journal of Preventive and Social Medicine, 30, 66-70.
[11]
Stone, S.T. and Kristeller, J.L. (1992) Attitude of Adolescents towards Smoking Cessation. American Journal of Preventive Medicine, 8, 221-225.
[12]
Omokhodion, F.O. and Faseru, B.O. (2007) Perception of Cigarette Smoking and Advertisement among Senior Secondary School Students in Ibadan, Southwestern Nigeria. West African Journal of Medicine, 26, 206-209.
[13]
Mpabulungi, L. and Muula, A.S. (2004) Tobacco Use among High School Students in Kampala: Questionnaire Study. Croatian Medical Journal, 45, 80-83.
[14]
Onadeko, B.O., Awotedu, A.A. and Onadeko, M.O. (1987) Smoking Patterns in Students of Higher Institutions of Learning in Nigeria. African Journal of Medicine & Medical Sciences, 16, 9-14.
[15]
National Population Commission (2007) Official Gazette: Legal Notice on Publication of the Details of the Breakdown of the National and State Provisional Totals 2006 Census. National Population Commission, Lagos, B175-B198.
[16]
Ghana GYTS Fact Sheet (2007) Tobacco or Health: A Global Status Report: Ghana. WHO, Geneva. http://www.cdc.gov/Tobacco/global/gyts/GYTS.factsheet.htm
[17]
Adeyeye, O.O. (2011) Cigarette Smoking Habits among Senior Secondary Students in Lagos, South West Nigeria. International Journal of Biological and Medical Research, 2, 1047-1050.
[18]
Odey, F.A., Okokon, I.B., Ogbeche, J.O., Jombo, G.T. and Ekanem, E.E. (2012) Prevalence of Cigarette Smoking among Adolescents in Calabar City, South-Eastern Nigeria. Journal of Medical Science, 3, 237-242.
[19]
Salawu, F.K., Damburam, A., Desalu, A.A., Olokoba, A.B. and Agbo, J. (2011) Cigarette Smoking Habits among Adolescents in Northeast Nigeria. Nigerian Postgraduate Medical Journal, 18, 26-29.
[20]
Bandele, E.O. and Osadiaye, J.A. (1990) Variables Contributing to Onset of Cigarette Smoking amongst Young Nigerians. Proceedings of the World Conference on Tobacco and Health, Perth, 1-5 April 1990, 525-528.
[21]
Bynner, J.M. (1969) The Young Smoker. Smoking among School Boys. Her Majesty’s Stationery Office, London.
[22]
Wang, S.-Q., Yu, J.-J., Zhu, B.-P., Liu, M. and He, G.-Q. (1994) Cigarette Smoking and Its Risk Factor among Senior High School Students in Beijing China. Tobacco Control, 3, 107-114. http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/tc.3.2.107
[23]
Charlton, A., Gilles, P. and Frank, L. (1985) Variation between Schools and Regions in Smoking among British School Children. Implication for Health Education. Public Health, 99, 243-252. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S0033-3506(85)80028-7
[24]
Rudatsikira, E., Abduurahaman, A. and Adamson, S.M. (2007) Prevalence and Determinants of Tobacco Smoking in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. BMC Public Health Journal, 7, 176.
