RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Prospective inquiry studying of tobacco smoking among high-school students in Plovdiv, Bulgaria (2004-2010)
JF European Respiratory Journal
JO Eur Respir J
FD European Respiratory Society
SP P4058
VO 40
IS Suppl 56
A1 Filip Shterev
A1 Rositza Ivancheva
A1 Zlatka Iankova
A1 Stanislav Kartev
A1 Georgi Belev
A1 Nonka Mateva
A1 Ivan Novakov
YR 2012
UL http://erj.ersjournals.com/content/40/Suppl_56/P4058.abstract
AB Introduction: Tobacco smoking is world major cause for premature death and serious health problems. The efforts should be directed towards prevention of smoking, which most often is even in childhood.Aims: To investigate in dynamics certain aspects of smoking among adolescents.Methods: It was organized a study in sections method, using a direct anonymous group survey among students from 16 to 18 years in Plovdiv schools. There were interviewed 800 students in 2004 and 460 in 2010. The questionnaire is from translated and adapted version by GYTS, WHO's program form. The statistical processing of data is completed by descriptive statistics and Student's t-test. It was used the program pack SPSS v.18.0.Results: For the six year period, we reported a statistically significant decrease in the number of students who have tried to smoke cigarettes and of those who smoke regularly. In 2004, 84.875% of the adolescents have tried a cigarette, as well as in 2010- 72.39% (t=5.12, p<0.001). At the age of 14-15 those who have started to smoke were 28.375% in 2004 and 23.04% in 2010 (t=2.11, p<0.05). The percentage of the students who smoke every day reduces from 25.375% to 19.565% (t=2.42, p<0.05). There is a statistically significant increase in the percentage of students who disagree with the smoking in common places from 57.75% to 68.48% (t=3.86, p<0.001). The ability to easily buy cigarettes from young people remains alarming- 46.625% in 2004 and 68.48% in 2010 (t=7.69, p<0.001).Conclusions: There is a significant decrease in the number of adolescents who smoke and in the same time there is more to be done in preventing tobacco smoking by children.