SHORT COMMUNICATION |
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Year : 2012 | Volume
: 56
| Issue : 4 | Page : 286-289 |
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Tobacco abuse among school going adolescents in a rural area of West Bengal, India
Anindya Mukherjee1, Abhik Sinha2, Pranita Taraphdar3, Gandhari Basu4, Debadatta Chakrabarty1
1 Assistant Professor, Department of Community Medicine, Medical College, Kolkata, India 2 Assistant Professor, Department of Community Medicine, Calcutta National Medical College, Kolkata, India 3 Assistant Professor, Department of Community Medicine, Bankura Sammilani Medical College, Bankura, India 4 Assistant Professor, Department of Community Medicine, Burdwan Medical College, Burdwan, India
Correspondence Address:
Anindya Mukherjee Assistant Professor, Department of Community Medicine, Medical College, Kolkata - 700073 India
 Source of Support: None, Conflict of Interest: None  | Check |
DOI: 10.4103/0019-557X.106416
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Adolescents are vulnerable targets of tobacco industry with all consequences of usage. Studies reveal that tobacco abuse is rising in this age group in India. A cross sectional survey was carried out in two coeducational high schools of Anandanagar village of Singur block, Hooghly district, West Bengal among 276 students of VIII-IX standard to study the knowledge and abuse of tobacco and to find out influencing socio-demographic factors. Knowledge score was higher in females, students from nuclear families, and those with literate parents. Low prevalence of tobacco intake was obtained among the students, with 9.8% reported having ever used smokeless tobacco and 4.3% ever smoked. Tobacco intake was higher among those with a history of parental tobacco intake. Continued information education and communication (IEC) activities should be conducted by the school authorities, with involvement of nongovernment organizations (NGOs) and parents for primary prevention. |
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