Background: Tobacco smoking is a major preventable cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide, with increasing prevalence among adolescents in developing countries. Early initiation of smoking increases the risk of long-term nicotine dependence and chronic diseases. Objective: To assess the pattern of tobacco smoking and its associated sociodemographic, behavioral, knowledge, attitude, and IEC-related factors among adolescents in a selected community of Comilla district, Bangladesh. Materials and Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted from October 2023 to January 2024 among 201 adolescents aged 14–19 years. Data were collected using a pretested semi-structured questionnaire through face-to-face interviews. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 25.0. Descriptive statistics were presented as frequency and percentage. Associations were tested using Pearson’s chi-square test, with p<0.05 considered statistically significant. Results: The mean age of respondents was 16.34 ± 1.674 years, with 93.1% males and 6.9% females. Most (64.5%) had primary education, 64.5% were Muslim, and 54.2% lived in nuclear families. Monthly family income averaged BDT 13,906.40 ± 3,063.052. Overall, 54.2% were current smokers and 45.8% chronic smokers, consuming 4-6 cigarettes/day (51.2%). Initiation was primarily self-desire (54.7%) or curiosity (37.9%). Knowledge of health hazards was high (89.7%), with loss of memory (58.2%) most cited, followed by cardiovascular disease (51.1%) and asthma (46.7%). Positive intention to quit was reported by 89.2%, though 56.2% were neutral on cessation. Significant associations were found between education level and smoking status (p=0.004) and attitude toward quitting and smoking status (p=0.023). Conclusion: Tobacco smoking is highly prevalent among adolescents despite high awareness of health hazards. Strengthening education, family involvement, and targeted IEC interventions is essential to reduce adolescent smoking.
Lovna et al. (Tue,) studied this question.