Source: Annual Congress 2002 - Smoking habits in teenagers
Disease area: Airway diseases

Abstract

Tobacco smoking is the largest preventable and modifiable risk factor for lung cancer, respiratory and cardiovascular diseases . Environmental tobacco smoke is a risk factor for asthma. More than 80% of smokers begin before age 18.
This study was designed to verify smoking habits in high school students, to delineate the peculiarity of young smokers and to suggest a health program and prevention strategy. Between march and december 2001 we surveyed a sample of 9000 high school students in Mantova ( a city of Northern Italy with 45000 inhabitants) with an anonymous questionaire about smoking habits.
8747 questionaires were fully completed. 30.5% of high school students smoke 15.4% smoke since 1 year or less and 57,5% of students tried to quit and 50.8% would like to quit. 69,7% are light smokers (10 cigarettes per day or less) and 11.9% smoke sometimes. 17% of students are not aware of why smoking is bad for health
An increasing troublesome trend of smoking habits was found in high school students.Many factors (individual, social, and environmental) contribute to teen-agers beginning to smoke. An efficient health program is necessary with prevention strategies involving physicians, psychologists, teachers and parents.

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Citations should be made in the following way:
I. Vandea, A. Rosa (Mantua, Italy). Smoking habits in high school students. The Mantova study: preliminary report. Eur Respir J 2002; 20: Suppl. 38, 890

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