Prevalence, Patterns, and Predictors of Tobacco Consumption among Adolescents: An Observational Study from a Rural area of Rajasthan.

Background: The prevalence of smoking cigarettes among adolescents in India is nearly one in 10, and almost half of them initiate tobacco use before turning 10 years old. Our study objective was to assess the prevalence of tobacco consumption and the sociodemographic factors associated with tobacco consumption among adolescents in a rural area of Rajasthan.

Materials And Methods: This community-based, cross-sectional study was conducted for a period of 1 year from April 2021 to March 2022 in village Naila, Jaipur. All 1083 adolescents of village Naila were contacted; however, 1049 were included in the study. Multivariate logistic regression (forward likelihood model) was used to assess the strength of the association of risk factors for the consumption of tobacco.

Results: A considerable proportion, that is, 22.4% (235/1049), of adolescents were tobacco consumers. Out of 235 consumers, 104 were smokers, 65 were consuming smokeless tobacco, and 66 were consuming both forms of tobacco. In multivariate analysis, age, sex, grade of participants, pocket money, family history of tobacco and alcohol consumption, maternal education, and per capita income were found to be significant predictors of tobacco consumption ( < 0.05).

Conclusion: Tobacco consumption is highly common in Rajasthan's rural adolescent population, and it begins at a very young age. Hence, corrective measures need to be initiated in an early stage of life. To reduce the impact of social norms, peer pressure, and family members who consume tobacco, the behavioral change communication activities must be strengthened.