Determinants of cigarette smoking among senior secondary school students in a rural community of southwest Nigeria.
BACKGROUND
Smoking remains an increasing high-risk behaviour among the youth, despite its harmful effects on health. This study sought to find out the determinants of cigarette smoking among youth of a rural Nigerian community and suggested intervention measures which have potential for the control of smoking among in-school population.


METHODS
It was a cross-sectional study carried out among 416 students selected through a multi-stage sampling procedure. Determinants of smoking among the study participants and their knowledge were assessed with the aid of a pre-tested structured questionnaire.


RESULTS
The proportions of ever-smokers who could associate cigarette smoking with known health problems were generally low compared to the never-smokers. The mean knowledge score, 4.05 +/- 0.4, obtained by the ever-smokers was also lower than the mean score, 6.41 +/- 0.2, obtained by the never-smokers. This was found statistically significant (p < 0.05). Smoking behaviour was significantly associated with friends (p = 0.00518) and parents (p = 0.002856) who smoke, and with cigarette advertisement (p = 0.032989).


CONCLUSIONS
Low level of knowledge, peer and parental influence as well as exposure to cigarette advertisement played significant roles in the adoption of smoking behaviour by the youth. Anti-smoking education and other prevention strategies targeted at the youth, their parents and the media are desirable.
Osungbade
K O
KO
Department of Community Medicine, College of Medicine, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria. koosungbade@yahoo.com
Oshiname
F O
FO
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001294:Attitude to Health; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D015438:Health Behavior; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008297:Male; D009549:Nigeria; D010379:Peer Group; D012307:Risk Factors; D012309:Risk-Taking; D012424:Rural Population; D012574:Schools; D012907:Smoking / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D013334:Students; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires