Prevalence and predictors of adolescents’ cigarette smoking in Madinah, Saudi Arabia: a school-based cross-sectional study

Abstract

BackgroundAlthough the prevalence of adolescents’ cigarette smoking has increased in recent decades, little is known regarding its epidemiology in certain Saudi regions, including the Madinah region. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence and predictors of adolescent cigarette smoking in Madinah, Saudi Arabia.MethodsA school-based cross-sectional study was carried out in the Madinah region during 2013. A multistage stratified cluster sample was taken and included 3400 students (11–19 years) from 34 intermediate and secondary schools. Data concerning sociodemographic and smoking-related factors were collected using a valid and reliable self-administered questionnaire. The prevalence of smoking was estimated, and appropriate statistical analyses were performed, including univariate, predictive and multivariate regression analyses.ResultsThe overall response rate was 97.7%. The prevalence of cigarette smoking in the respondents’ 3322 adolescents was 15.17% (95% CI = 13.95-16.39) with significant differences in sociodemographic factors. The most important predictors were most or all friends smoking (OR = 12.5; 95% CI = 9.40-16.8). Other significant less important factors were parental smoking, belief in the harmful effects of smoking, cigarette advertisement in mass media, and pocket money.ConclusionsCigarette smoking prevalence is a relatively low among adolescents in Madinah region. However, friends and parents smoking play an important role in the increased risk of smoking in the studied adolescents. These predictors must be included in any antismoking education programs targeting to this sector of population in the region.

Smoking among adolescents is associated with their own characteristics and with parental smoking: cross-sectional study

“…4,26 In a recent study, Figueiredo et al 16 observed that the prevalence of smoking in a sample of adolescents aged from 12 to 17 years was 5.7%, considering several Brazilian cities. Their findings were similar to those of the present study and their prevalence can also be considered low.…”

“…To calculate the sample, the prevalence of smoking among adolescents was taken to be 15%, 4 and a tolerable error of 3% and power of 80% were used. Since the sample was selected through clusters, a design correction of 1.5 was used.…”

“…In a study conducted in Saudi Arabia, Al-Zalabani and Kasim 4 observed that the prevalence of smoking was around 15% among the young people who they evaluated.…”

Smoking prevalence among male secondary school students in Makkah region

“…10 The peer pressure from smoker friends was among the most common reasons given for smoking among male secondary school students in Jeddah as it was stated that smoking friends and parents play an important role in the increased risk of smoking in the adolescents. 9,[11][12][13] …”

Knowledge, Attitude and Practice of Cigarette Smoking among Male Students of Taibah University, Al Madinah, Saudi Arabia

“…If the current trends continue the same, WHO expected that by 2030 tobacco smoking will kill more than 8 million of population worldwide each year (2,3). In addition, tobacco use causes hundreds of billions of dollars of economic damage worldwide each year (2,3),knowing that, the last prevalence of smokers was 37% which was estimated in Jeddah (4).In a school-based study conducted during 2013 among 3400 intermediate and secondary schools' students (11-19 years) in Madinah, Saudi Arabia using the global tobacco youth survey (GTYS) showed that prevalence of cigarette smoking was 15.17% (5).…”