Sreenivas P Veeranki1, Rijo M John2, Abdallah Ibrahim3, Divya Pillendla4, James F Thrasher5, Daniel Owusu6, Ahmed E O Ouma7, Hadii M Mamudu5. 1. Department of Preventive Medicine and Community Health, University of Texas Medical Branch, 301 University Blvd, Ewing Hall Suite 1.128, Galveston, TX, USA. spveeran@utmb.edu. 2. Indian Institute of Technology, Jodhpur, Rajasthan, India. 3. School of Public Health, University of Ghana, Legon, Accra, Ghana. 4. Department of Preventive Medicine and Community Health, University of Texas Medical Branch, 301 University Blvd, Ewing Hall Suite 1.128, Galveston, TX, USA. 5. Department of Health Promotion, Education, and Behavior, Arnold School of Public Health, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC, USA. 6. Department of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, Health Policy and Management, College of Public Health, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, TN, USA. 7. Tobacco Control, WHO Regional Office for Africa, Brazzaville, Congo.
Abstract
OBJECTIVES: To estimate prevalence and identify correlates of age of smoking initiation among adolescents in Africa. METHODS: Data (n = 16,519) were obtained from nationally representative Global Youth Tobacco Surveys in nine West African countries. Study outcome was adolescents' age of smoking initiation categorized into six groups: ≤7, 8 or 9, 10 or 11, 12 or 13, 14 or 15 and never-smoker. Explanatory variables included sex, parental or peer smoking behavior, exposure to tobacco industry promotions, and knowledge about smoking harm. Weighted multinomial logit models were conducted to determine correlates associated with adolescents' age of smoking initiation. RESULTS: Age of smoking initiation was as early as ≤7 years; prevalence estimates ranged from 0.7 % in Ghana at 10 or 11 years age to 9.6 % in Cote d'Ivoire at 12 or 13 years age. Males, exposures to parental or peer smoking, and industry promotions were identified as significant correlates. CONCLUSIONS: West African policymakers should adopt a preventive approach consistent with the World Health Organization Framework Convention on Tobacco Control to prevent an adolescent from initiating smoking and developing into future regular smokers.
OBJECTIVES: To estimate prevalence and identify correlates of age of smoking initiation among adolescents in Africa. METHODS: Data (n = 16,519) were obtained from nationally representative Global Youth Tobacco Surveys in nine West African countries. Study outcome was adolescents' age of smoking initiation categorized into six groups: ≤7, 8 or 9, 10 or 11, 12 or 13, 14 or 15 and never-smoker. Explanatory variables included sex, parental or peer smoking behavior, exposure to tobacco industry promotions, and knowledge about smoking harm. Weighted multinomial logit models were conducted to determine correlates associated with adolescents' age of smoking initiation. RESULTS: Age of smoking initiation was as early as ≤7 years; prevalence estimates ranged from 0.7 % in Ghana at 10 or 11 years age to 9.6 % in Cote d'Ivoire at 12 or 13 years age. Males, exposures to parental or peer smoking, and industry promotions were identified as significant correlates. CONCLUSIONS: West African policymakers should adopt a preventive approach consistent with the World Health Organization Framework Convention on Tobacco Control to prevent an adolescent from initiating smoking and developing into future regular smokers.
Entities:
Keywords:
Adolescent; Africa; Age of smoking initiation; Global Youth Tobacco Survey
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