Prevalence and Predictors of Tobacco Use Among School Adolescents in Zakho, Kurdistan Region of Iraq

Knowledge regarding the smoking prevalence among the Kurdistan general population is not clear, at least for males. Here in the Kurdistan Youth Smoking Survey and Behaviours (KYSS&B) we tried to further expand our knowledge about the smoking profile of school students across Kurdistan. Five hundred students from four Zakho male basic schools were taken to participate in the study to determine the prevalence of smoking and socio-demographical factors associating with smoking among students aged 12 to 15 years. The KYSS&B questionnaire included various parameters such as age, gender, friends, parent history and blood groups. This study showed that the prevalence of students who ever tried smoking was 74%; about 65% of them started at age 12 years or less. Although the majority of participants (95%) knew that smoking is harmful and had negative impact on human health, 18% of them thought that they will never quit smoking. The study concluded that there was no strong association between family monthly income, parent education level and blood groups. On the other hand, the three most critical factors connected with smoking habit reported by students were age, peer influence and father smoking.

Prince Albert youth drug and alcohol use: a comparison study of Prince Albert, Saskatchewan, and Canada youth

Community Mobilization Prince Albert’s (CMPA) Hub and Centre of Responsibility (COR) had been dealing with high rates of youth arrest and referrals to treatment facilities stemming from youth substance abuse. To better help the CMPA craft policies to counter the high rates of youth alcohol and drug use, a study was conducted in June of 2012 that utilized a school survey of PA youth. Data were collected from four local Prince Albert high schools and compared with Saskatchewan and Canadian youth. Analyses of the data were conducted using logistic regression and bivariate correlation. The following paper will provide an overview of the study and explain why youth substance abuse was chosen for this study. Later sections will examine how the Prince Albert school survey was formulated for comparison purposes with Saskatchewan and Canadian youth data obtained from the 2010-11 Youth Smoking Survey (YSS). This will be followed by an overview of the study’s key findings, along with results of logistic regression and bivariate correlation analysis and the study’s limitations. A final section will examine the implications of this study’s findings on youth substance abuse policy and programs for the CMPA Hub and COR, along with the city of PA.

Roll-your-own tobacco use among Canadian youth: current prevalence and changes in youth smoking “rollies” since 2008

Introduction Roll-your-own (RYO) cigarettes, or “rollies,” represent an affordable alternative to manufactured cigarettes, especially among youth with a lower disposable income. This study characterizes changes in the prevalence of RYO tobacco current use between 2008 and 2010 in Canadian youth and examines the sociodemographic characteristics associated with RYO use in 2010. Methods This study uses representative data collected from grade 9 to 12 students as part of the 2008/2009 and 2010/2011 cycles of the Canadian Youth Smoking Survey (YSS). Results Among current smokers, 30.5% currently use RYO cigarettes. Youth with a disposable income of more than $100 each week were less likely to be current RYO users (OR = 0.49, 95% CI: 0.34–0.71). Current RYO tobacco users were more likely to be current alcohol users (OR = 2.01, 95% CI: 1.09–3.72) or marijuana users (OR = 2.63, 95% CI: 1.73–4.01). Conclusion RYO cigarettes continue to provide an affordable alternative to youth smokers. Targeted school-based prevention programs that address the use of RYO cigarettes may offer additional reductions to the use of RYO cigarettes.

Are Canadian youth still exposed to second-hand smoke in homes and in cars?

Introduction The objective of this manuscript is to examine the prevalence of youth exposed to second-hand smoke (SHS) in homes and cars, changes in SHS exposure over time, and factors associated with beliefs youth hold regarding SHS exposure among a nationally representative sample of Canadian youth. Methods Descriptive analysis of SHS exposure in homes and cars was conducted using data from the Canadian Youth Smoking Survey (2004, 2006 and 2008). Logistic regression was conducted to examine factors associated with beliefs youth had about SHS exposure in 2008. Results In 2008, 21.5% of youth reported being exposed to SHS in their home on a daily or almost daily basis, while 27.3% reported being exposed to SHS while riding in a car at least once in the previous week. Between 2004 and 2008, the prevalence of daily SHS exposure in the home and cars decreased by 4.7% and 18.0% respectively. Conclusion Despite reductions in SHS exposure over time, a substantial number of Canadian youth continue to be exposed to SHS in homes and cars. Further effort is required to implement and evaluate policies designed to protect youth from SHS.

Are experimental smokers different from their never-smoking classmates? A multilevel analysis of Canadian youth in grades 9 to 12

Introduction Understanding the characteristics of experimental smoking among youth is critical for designing prevention programs. This study examined which student- and school-level factors differentiated experimental smokers from never smokers in a nationally representative sample of Canadian students in grades 9 to 12. Methods School-level data from the 2006 Canadian Census and one built environment characteristic (tobacco retailer density) were linked with data from secondary school students from the 2008–2009 Canadian Youth Smoking Survey and examined using multilevel logistic regression analyses. Results Experimental smoking rates varied across schools (p $lt; .001). The location (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 0.66, 95% CI: 0.49–0.89) of the school (urban vs. rural) was associated with the odds of a student being an experimental smoker versus a never smoker when adjusting for student characteristics. Students were more likely to be experimental smokers if they were in a lower grade, reported low school connectedness, used alcohol or marijuana, believed that smoking can help people relax, received pocket money each week and had a family member or close friend who smoked cigarettes. Conclusion School-based tobacco prevention programs need to be grade-sensitive and comprehensive in scope; include strategies that can increase students' attachment to their school; and address multi-substance use, tobacco-related beliefs and the use of pocket money. These programs should also reach out to students who have smoking friends and family members. Schools located in rural settings may require additional resources.