Jallow Isatou K, Britton John, Langley Tessa
Division of Epidemiology and Public Health, UK Center for Tobacco and Alcohol Studies, University of Nottingham, Clinical Science Building, CityHospital, Nottingham NG5 1PB, UK.
Ministry of Health & Social Welfare, National Public Health Laboratory, Banjul, The Gambia.
BMJ Glob Health. 2017 Dec 28;2(4):e000482. doi: 10.1136/bmjgh-2017-000482. eCollection 2017.
Tobacco consumption and consequent morbidity and mortality are expected to grow most markedly over coming decades in low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs). Preventing tobacco experimentation and uptake among young people in LMICs is therefore vital. However, data on smoking in these countries, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa, remain sparse.
We used two-stage cluster random sampling to select students in upper and senior secondary schools throughout The Gambia, and a self-administered questionnaire to collect data on their tobacco use, risk factors and demographic details.
Of 10 392 eligible students, 10 289 (99%; 55% girls and 44% boys, age 12-20 years) participated. The prevalence of ever smoking cigarettes, cigars or pipes was 16.7% (25.7% boys and 9.4% girls) and current (past 30 days) smoking 4.5% (7.9% boys and 1.5% girls). Smoking was more common among students attending private schools (OR 1.69, 95% CI 1.29 to 2.22), of Christian or other faiths compared with Muslims, living with parents (OR 1.39, 95% CI 1.06 to 1.81), who had smoking allowed in their homes (OR 1.67, 95% CI 1.30 to 2.13), with family members who smoked or had one or more friends who smoked. Most (55.6%) smokers want to stop, but only 22% received any stop smoking support. Ever smoking of shisha, at 8.1%, was unexpectedly high, and relatively prevalent among girls (11.4% of boys and 5.4% of girls).
Tobacco use is common among young people in The Gambia. Shisha smoking is also common in this population, and in relative terms especially among girls. Further work is required to determine whether this is a problem local to The Gambia or reflects a wider pattern of tobacco use in sub-Saharan Africa.
在未来几十年里，低收入和中等收入国家（LMICs）的烟草消费以及由此导致的发病率和死亡率预计将显著增长。因此，防止低收入和中等收入国家的年轻人尝试吸烟并开始吸烟至关重要。然而，这些国家，尤其是撒哈拉以南非洲地区的吸烟数据仍然很少。
我们采用两阶段整群随机抽样法，在冈比亚全国的初中和高中选取学生，并使用自填式问卷收集他们的烟草使用情况、风险因素和人口统计学细节。
在10392名符合条件的学生中，10289名（99%；女生占55%，男生占44%，年龄在12 - 20岁之间）参与了调查。曾经吸过香烟、雪茄或烟斗的比例为16.7%（男生为25.7%，女生为9.4%），当前（过去30天内）吸烟的比例为4.5%（男生为7.9%，女生为1.5%）。在私立学校就读的学生、基督教徒或其他宗教信仰者（与穆斯林相比）、与父母同住的学生（比值比[OR]为1.39，95%置信区间[CI]为1.06至1.81）、家中允许吸烟的学生（OR为1.67，95%CI为1.30至2.13）、有吸烟家庭成员或有一个或多个吸烟朋友的学生中，吸烟更为常见。大多数（55.6%）吸烟者想要戒烟，但只有22%的人获得过任何戒烟支持。水烟吸食率出人意料地高，为8.1%，在女孩中相对普遍（男生为11.4%，女生为5.4%）。
在冈比亚，年轻人吸烟现象普遍。水烟吸食在该人群中也很常见，相对而言在女孩中尤为如此。需要进一步开展工作，以确定这是冈比亚特有的问题，还是反映了撒哈拉以南非洲更广泛的烟草使用模式。
