Prevalence of Smoking among Young Pakistani Adults

Abstract

Background: The history of smoking tobacco is primitive and dates back to as early as 5000 BC. In the last century this has changed to different forms like cigarettes, filtered cigarettes, self-made cigarettes, tobacco in leaf (beery), hukka, sheesha and pipe.

Objectives: To explore tobacco smoking practices in young adults and the factors that influences them to initiate or quit smoking.

Methods: It was cross sectional study based on a self-based on a self-administered questionnaire with a sample size of 486. Study subjects were young adults. The age of participants was between 17-35 years. Data was collected after taking an informed consent and the individual confidentially was maintained. A self- administered questionnaire was given where question were related to their socio-demographic characteristics and smoking   behavior. The data was analyzed using SPSS version 20.

Results: Of the subjects who were interviewed almost 62% were smokers. Significant number of the people did not remember the age of smoking initiation. 97% of the subjects smoked manufactured cigarettes. 49.6% of smokers had to visit a physician in last 12 months but only 40% of them were counseled regarding smoking hazards and smoking cessation. 61.6% of people had not seen any information regarding hazards of smoking on any kind of media, 27.5% saw them on electronic media and 2.6% noticed them on Bill board.

Conclusion: The main determinants of regular smoking among the university students were male sex, lower education level and having friends who smoke. This calls for the implementation of sex and age specific anti-smoking policies. By assessing the smoking behavior in young adults, programs and policies can be designed with an aim to reduce smoking rates among the youth of our society.