Prevalence of Tobacco Use & Its Correlate Factors among School Going Adolescents in Rural Areas of Haryana, India.

Tobacco use is one of the major preventable causes of death and disability worldwide. WHO estimates that 4.9 million deaths annually are attributable to tobacco use. Research questions: What is the magnitude of problem of tobacco users among school going adolescents in a rural block of Haryana? Objectives: 1.To study the prevalence of tobacco use and 2. To assess the correlate factors of tobacco use. Study design: A cross-sectional descriptive type of study. Setting: Schools of Beri block, District Jhajjar. Participants: School going adolescents (10-19 years). Simple size: Total sample size was 1260. Study variables: Age, Sex, Type of tobacco products, Influencing factors, Awareness about health problems. Results: Overall prevalence of 'ever users' of tobacco products was 203 (17.4%). Prevalence of ever users among boys and girls was 197 (27%) and 7 (1.6%) respectively. Prevalence of 'current users' of tobacco products was 169 (14.5%). Majority 89.6% of current users had initiated smoking between the age 10 and 14 years (median age 12 years). The differences in prevalence according to age (p < 0.001) was statistically significant while in relation to caste was found non-significant (p>.067). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]