Recent Study Examines Why South Asian Teens Use Tobacco
The study, titled Predictors of cigarette smoking, smokeless tobacco use, and dual use among South Asian adolescents: a secondary analysis of the Global Youth Tobacco Survey (GYTS), was led by the University of York. It analyzed GYTS data covering fewer t
The study, titled “Predictors of smoking, smokeless tobacco use, and dual use among South Asian adolescents: a secondary analysis of the Global Youth Tobacco Survey (GYTS),” was led by York University. It analyzed Global Youth Tobacco Survey data covering just under 24,000 adolescents in Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka, with the aim of identifying the main drivers of tobacco use in this age group.
Overall, 2% of participants were smokers, 6.5% used smokeless tobacco (ST) products, and 1.1% used both. The researchers found that one of the main factors attracting adolescents to tobacco use was exposure to smoking in public places, on television, and in online advertisements, as well as receiving free products.
On the other hand, shop owners refusing to sell cigarettes to minors was found to be an effective protective factor, as were school-based educational anti-tobacco programs. Effective anti-tobacco messages in mass media also played a positive role.
The researchers concluded: “In the study population, the association between smoking and pro-tobacco factors was strong, while the association with anti-tobacco factors lacked strength and consistency.”
Policymakers should refer to data like these when considering tobacco control measures
Lead author Dr. Masuma Mishu of the Global Health Research Group in the Department of Health Sciences at York University said policymakers should take these findings into account. “Our study provides important insights, supported by robust analysis, into several broader environmental factors associated with tobacco use among South Asian adolescents.”
“This study provides crucial information for policymakers, indicating that anti-tobacco media campaigns in their current form are unlikely to work well with young people in South Asia, and it also presents evidence suggesting that school-based teaching about the harmful effects of tobacco has shown inconsistent effectiveness.”
