2020, Vol. 2, Issue 2, Part B

Aim & Objectives: This study aims to determine the magnitude of tobacco use (both smoked and smokeless tobacco products) among adolescent high-school students in Visakhapatnam, sub metropolitan city in Andhra Pradesh.

Methodology: This is a school-based cross-sectional descriptive study. The study is based on framework of the Global Youth Tobacco Survey (GYTS) designed and conducted by the World Health Organization (WHO) and Centers for Disease Control (CDC).

Results: In the present study, there is a statistically significant association between the tobacco use and the adolescent students in the private and government schools. Tobacco is being used in multiple forms; few of which are in the smoking forms as cigarettes and bidis and also in the form of chewing tobacco as gutka or zarda. The other form in which tobacco is being used is in the form of Mishri and also as a toothpaste and toothpowder. Tobacco initiation started at a very early age (7 years). Initiation of tobacco use was higher in the younger age group (8-10 years) and percentage of adolescents initiating tobacco use decreased as the age increased. There is no difference in the attitude with regards to attractiveness of the boys who smoke in both Private and Government school.

Conclusion: Finally we Adolescent students from both Government and Private schools feel that girls look less attractive if they smoke. Most students feel that students who use tobacco have fewer friends than when compared to the students who do not smoke.