Exploring an effective tobacco prevention programme for Indian adolescents.

OBJECTIVES

Tobacco use is among the most significant public health issues faced by the world today. It is estimated that approximately 5500 adolescents start using tobacco every day in India, adding to the four million youths aged <15 years who are already regular users. School-based smoking prevention programmes have been shown to increase knowledge about the negative effects of tobacco and prevent tobacco use, but the majority of evidence on effectiveness comes from Western countries. This study investigated the impact of a school-based short-term educational intervention regarding tobacco use on adolescents' knowledge, attitudes, intentions and behaviours (KAIB) in Bangalore, India.

STUDY DESIGN

An intervention trial was conducted among 720 adolescents aged 15-16 years in Bangalore, India.

METHODS

Educational interventions were imparted to all study subjects in a phased manner, along with two interactive sessions held six months apart. The impact of the programme was measured using questionnaires administered before the first intervention (pre-intervention) and after the second intervention (post-intervention).

RESULTS

Mean (±standard deviation) pre-intervention KAIB scores of the subjects were 5.9 ± 1.87 (knowledge), 23.6 ± 3.15 (attitude) and 18.9 ± 3.27 (practice), which improved to 7.8 ± 2.01, 26.7 ± 2.43 and 12.3 ± 2.52, respectively, postintervention. The differences in mean KAIB scores were significant (P < 0.0001, df = 1400), suggesting that the intervention had a major positive impact.

CONCLUSION

School-based short-term educational intervention programmes are effective for preventing and reducing tobacco use among Indian adolescents.