title: Risk Perception and Correlates of Tobacco Use among Young People Outside of Formal School Settings in Lagos State, Nigeria.
abstract: Tobacco use among youth is a major public health problem. Youth outside of formal school settings are often understudied but may be at increased risk.
  
  
  
  A descriptive cross- sectional study was carried out among 326 young people aged 15-24 years in four randomly selected motor parks in Lagos state. Interviewer-administered questionnaires were used to collect data.
  
  
  
  The mean age of the respondents was 21.0±2.3yrs. Many 252 (77.3%) dropped out before the end of the third year of secondary schooling. The majority were aware that active (78.2%), and passive smoking (77.3%) are harmful to health. Nearly two-thirds of the respondents disagreed with an outright ban of cigarettes (63.2%) and restriction of cigarette sales to persons below 18 years (67.9%) while 254 (66.8%) supported a ban on tobacco smoking in enclosed public places. One hundred and fifty (46.0%) respondents had experimented with smoking of which 106 (32.5%) had progressed to become current smokers. Half of the current smokers, 54 (50.9%), felt the need for a cigarette first thing in the morning. A multivariate analysis for smoking initiation, showed that for every increasing year of age, respondents were 1.08 times more likely to have initiated cigarette smoking; males and respondents who lived alone or with peers were 2.34 times and 1.77 times more likely to have initiated smoking respectively; those who consume alcohol and marijuana were 7.27 and 1.89 times respectively more likely to have initiated smoking while those who consumed alcohol were 6.17 times more likely to be current smokers.
authors.affiliation: Department of Community Health and Primary Care, College of Medicine, University of Lagos, Idi-Araba, Lagos State, Nigeria. E-mail : drolukemiodukoya@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: O O
authors.initials: OO
authors.lastname: Odukoya
authors.forename: M R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Dada
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Olubodun
authors.forename: U A
authors.initials: UA
authors.lastname: Igwilo
authors.forename: O A
authors.initials: OA
authors.lastname: Ayo-Yusuf
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009549:Nigeria / Q000453:epidemiology; D015995:Prevalence; D011379:Prognosis; D012307:Risk Factors; D013334:Students / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014028:Tobacco Smoke Pollution / Q000517:prevention & control*; D064424:Tobacco Use / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D014029:Tobacco Use Disorder / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D014028:Tobacco Smoke Pollution