Tobacco smoking initiation among students in Samoa and health concerns

Abstract

Background High prevalence of tobacco smoking among young students remains a serious health concern given the positive association between smoking and NCDs. More recently, some studies also noted young smokers were more likely to get infected with COVID-19 compared to non-smokers. This study aims to assess the factors that influence smoking uptake among young students in Samoa. Findings from this study will provide valuable insight to policymakers and health authorities on policies and strategies to combat smoking among youth in Samoa and the Pacific Island Countries (PICs). Methods The 2017 Global Youth Tobacco Survey data of Samoa, available from the World Health Organization is used in the analysis. We use the multinominal logistic model to investigate the effects of socio-economic and demographics factors on young students’ uptake of smoking in Samoa. Result The main findings of this study indicate that sex, age, friendship, parental smoking, family discussion, outside influence, pocket money, and mother’s education are important determinants of tobacco smoking initiation among youths in Samoa. Conclusion Our findings contribute towards the evidence of the imperative health impact of friends, parents, and public smoking on students in Samoa. This warrants strategies that are effective in discouraging parents from smoking and implement measures that prevent smoking in public places. Moreover, educational efforts, particularly those that encourage more discussion at home settings on the harmful effects of smoking are strongly recommended. Parents are strongly encouraged to regularly monitor children’s spending behaviour.

Predictors Of Tobacco Smoking Initiation Among Indonesian Teenagers: The 2019 Global Youth Tobacco Survey

“…The study's results on gender showed that males were more at risk for initiating smoking. These results concur with studies in Africa, 22 Nigeria, 23 Samoa, 18 and Korea. 19 Adolescent males in Indonesia were found to be more likely to initiate smoking because the prevalence of smoking among the male population in Indonesia was higher than that of females.…”

“…The results of research on age showed that the older the teenager, the risk to start smoking increases. This is consistent with research conducted in Samoa at 2021 18 and Korea at 2020 19 that age increases problems in life and their use of smoking is a coping mechanism. For this reason, health education is needed about the dangers of smoking, especially for older teenagers.…”

“…According to research findings, adolescents who are exposed to secondhand smoke in public places outside closed spaces are found to have a higher risk of starting smoking. 27 The findings of this study are consistent with previous studies conducted in Nigeria 23 and Samoa 18 regarding adolescents who are accustomed to cigarette smoke and often start smoking. Researchers in Nigeria and Samoa demonstrated a positive correlation between external exposure and smoking initiation.…”

Smoking Among High School Students in Dili, Timor-Leste: Prevalence, Potential Determinants and Opportunities for Prevention and Control

“…Students in our study had an increased risk of being current smokers if they had been exposed to smoking in the home and in public places, exposed to tobacco messaging, or had pocket money available to spend, all of which are consistent with findings from other studies. 16 , 17 , 25 - 28 Community-based health promotion interventions to discourage smoking around children especially in the home and encourage parents to monitor children’s pocket money expenditure may be needed, together with stronger legislation and enforcement of regulations such as prohibitions on selling cigarettes to minors or as single cigarettes, restrictions on the number of tobacco retailers (especially street vendors and kiosks), banning smoking in public places and in schools and further restrictions on tobacco related advertising. Parental smoking was associated with smoking and with use of any tobacco product, and was identified as a determinant of smoking initiation in a systematic review.…”

Association between teachers’ outdoor smoking attitude and smoking initiation among in-school adolescents in Albania: A cross-sectional study

“…For instance, Andrea, et al [14] noted that a decrease in the availability of money, an increase in the level of education, and awareness of the harmful effects of tobacco smoking effectively reduced smoking among students in Tuscany. Similarly, Singh, et al [7] found that sex, age, friendship, parental smoking, family discussion, outside in uence, pocket money, and mother's education are important determinants of tobacco smoking initiation among youths in Samoa. Consistent evidence has also shown that the school environment plays a crucial role in shaping adolescents' behaviours and attitudes, and teachers, as in uential role models, can signi cantly impact their students' perceptions and choices [15].…”