Study of prevalence of smoking and risk factors in school girls of the 6-11th grades / Монголын Анагаах Ухаан

ABSTRACT

IntroductionIn the total increase in the rate of smoking in the population of Mongolia, the smoking rate among women of the age of 15-24 years old increased up to 4.2% which is higher by 1.9 points against the level of the year 2005. The average age of starting smoking among women decreased by 3 years compared to 2005 evidencing the increase in the prevalence of smoking among the female population. However, there is no study on prevalence of smoking focusing on school age girls. Researches on the prevalence of smoking and KAP of the population shall play an important part in reduction of tobacco consumption, assisting smoking cessation and determining the effective forms of anti-tobacco communications.Materials and MethodsThe study of the tobacco consumption and risk factors among the school age girls of the 6-11th grades is a cross-sectional study covering the school age girls of 6-11th grades of Suhbaatar, Chingeltei, Bayangol and Songinokhairkhan districts of Ulaanbaatar and Uvurkhangai, Khovd, Dornod and Umnugobi aimags. The participants of the study were selected by random sampling. The study used qualitative and quantitative methods. The study involved 1208 school age girls of 6-11th grades. The data of the survey was analyzed with SPSS software.ResultsEvery third or 33.7% of the schoolchildren of 6-11th grades smoke. The rate of smoking is as twice higher in the metropolitan settings as in provincial aimags. The answer that there are smokers in the family given by 64% of the respondents implies that two in three target age school girls are exposed to second-hand smoking. Every fifth of the girls find themselves in tobacco affected areas daily. Of the target age/gender group, 36.5% reported that they buy cigarettes in kiosks, shops and stores and one in each two schools have any form of tobacco selling points within 100 meters which implies a potential impact of the surrounding environment. Around 90% of the participants of the quantitative survey were able to correctly list the health hazards of smoking, however, the qualitative survey results demonstrate that they have confusions on the health hazards of smoking and have insufficient understanding of the long term effects of smoking.Conclusions:1. Girl in the metropolitan settings smoke more than in provincial settings.2. Smoking at schools and public places are common in both metropolitan and provincial areas.3. The smoking behaviors of the girls are influenced by their and peers. insufficient knowledge 4. It was identified by the research that all smoking girls in the capital and in provinces are wishing to quit smoking.5. Though the girls receive information on tobacco from mass media, friends and Health Education subject, the information received through these channels are insufficient to impact their knowledge and change their behavior.6. The number of school children exposed to the impact of tobacco tends to increase by their age.