Current tobacco use and susceptibility to using tobacco among non-users of tobacco: a cross-sectional study among school-going adolescents in Sierra Leone.

Abstract

IntroductionTobacco use is a global health threat associated with a high disease burden and deaths. Studies concerning current tobacco use and susceptibility to using tobacco products among adolescents who are potential adult tobacco users in Sierra Leone have not been explored. We aimed to estimate the prevalence and correlates of current tobacco use and tobacco non-users susceptibility to using tobacco amongst Sierra Leonean high-school students.MethodWe used data obtained from the 2017 Sierra Leone Global Youth Tobacco Survey (GYTS), which presented information collected from 6680 students aged 11-17years nationwide. Gender-based correlates of current use and susceptibility to using tobacco among non-tobacco users were determined by complex sample logistic regression analyses. Adjusted odds ratios (AOR) and respective 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were reported. p-values less than 0.005 were considered significant.ResultsThe prevalence of current tobacco use among high school adolescents in Sierra Leone was 24.6% and was higher in males (27.9%) than in females (18.6%). Male [AOR=1.50 (95%CI: 1.18-1.91)], parental smoking [AOR=1.73(95%CI:1.32-2.26)] exposure to household secondhand smoke [AOR=1.82(95%CI:1.27-2.62)], having peers who smoke [AOR=2.24(1.51-3.31)] were more likely to be currently using tobacco. On the other hand, adolescents exposed to antismoking media messages were less likely to be current tobacco users [AOR=0.67(95%CI: 0.52-0.85)]. The overall tobacco non-users susceptibility to using tobacco among adolescents in Sierra Leone was 18.2% [male (18.0%), female (18.5%)]. Exposure to tobacco promotion [AOR =1.50(95%CI:1.06-2.10)] and non-exposure to antismoking education [AOR =1.39(95%CI:1.05-1.86)] were significantly associated with tobacco non-users’ susceptibility to using tobacco.ConclusionOur study suggests that one-in-four school-going adolescents currently use tobacco, with nearly one in five non-users susceptible to using tobacco. Given the high prevalence of tobacco product use among Sierra Leonean adults, our findings highlight the need for policies and interventions to prevent tobacco use behaviour among adolescents aimed at averting tobacco use in adulthood.

Current tobacco use and susceptibility to using tobacco among non-users of tobacco: A cross-sectional study among school-going adolescents in Sierra Leone

“…GYTS is supported by the World Health Organization and the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. This manuscript is available as a pre-print on Research Square ( https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-798614/v2 ) 36 …”