Pattern of tobacco use among school children in National Capital Territory (NCT).

OBJECTIVE To study the prevalence, consumption patterns and correlates of tobacco use among adolescent SZI children in Government schools in the National Capital territory of Delhi. METHODS Thirty schools in National Capital Territory (NCT) of Delhi, India, were selected by two stage cluster random design and population proportionate to size sampling (PPS) methodology. A sample of 3,422 children in the age group of 10-18 years studying in the 30 middle and senior secondary Government schools in NCT of Delhi were studied. Each student was administered a pre-tested, semi-structured questionnaire. RESULTS Overall 9.8% of the study children had at least once experimented with any form of tobacco in their lifetime. The proportion of children who were current users of tobacco products was 5.4% (boys: 4.6%, Girls: 0.8%). Current users differed from abstainers in location of their schools, category of school, class, gender, hobbies, not having friends, having tobacco users in family and school etc. CONCLUSION Consumption of tobacco amongst adolescents is an emerging health problem in Delhi. A number of variables seem to differentiate between the current users and abstainers. Tobacco use in family and school environment is a mutable factor that should be focused in tobacco reduction campaigns. Encouraging friendship has a protective influence. There is a need for similar studies in other metropolitan cities of the country.