Risk factors associated with tobacco consumption in adolescence

Abstract

Introduction: the World Health Organization (WHO) has classified smoking as a chronic non-communicable and addictive disease, with possibilities of treatment and cure. Adolescence constitutes a risk stage in acquiring the habit; according to some authors, the age at which smoking begins is increasingly younger. Objective: to determine the main risk factors that influence tobacco consumption in adolescents belonging to the Family Medical Office No. 45 of the Policlínico Docente Universitario “René Vallejo Ortiz”. in Bayamo, Cuba. Method: an observational, analytical, case-control study was carried out. The universe was made up of 73 adolescents and the sample was represented by 16 cases and 32 controls, with a 1:2 ratio; in the period from January to December 2022. To calculate the sample, the Epidemiological Analysis of Tabulated Data (EPIDAT) statistical program was applied with the simple random method. Results: the most significant factors in adolescent tobacco consumption were obtained: having smoking friends (OR 21.6564 95% CI 2.0502-228.7595; p=0.0106), lack of family support (OR 10.6242 95% CI 1.1156-101.1748; p=0.0399) and the presence of smokers in the family (OR 8.0845 95% CI 1.3167- 49.6380; p=0.0240). Conclusions: the lack of family support, the presence of family and friends who smoke were the main risk factors that influenced tobacco consumption in adolescence and suggests the need to intervene as soon as possible to transform addictive behavior.

Keywords

• adolescentes
• factores de riesgo
• consumo
• tabaco