THE PREVALENCE OF TOBACCO CONSUMPTION IN YOUTH OF KARACHI, PAKISTAN – A PILOT STUDY

The aim of this study is to explore the prevalence of tobacco consumption in young people and observe its association with second hand smoking. It is a pilot study conducted in Karachi, Pakis- tan. Following are the objectives of this study: This pilot study will help to proceed with conduc- ting validated Global Youth Tobacco Survey (GYTS) in Karachi using standard methodology in future. It will also establish current and life time prevalence of smoking in young people of Karachi, Pakistan. To study correlation between young people consuming tobacco and the effect of environmental tobacco smoke (second hand smoking). A cross sectional study was conducted in a private school in Karachi. School was selected through convenience sampling. The sample consis- ted of 76 students both boys and girls had equal opportunity to participate in the survey. A Vali- dated GYTS questionnaire was used. The current prevalence of smoking is 16% while the students who ever smoked is 41% which is comparatively high to other Global Youth Tobacco Survey (GYTS) conducted in other cities in Pakistan, The results matched with GYTS Eastern Medi- terranean Regions which reports 15.3% as current smokers.1 Environmental tobacco smoke or second hand smoking reported was statistically significant. In this study environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) second hand smoking has been considered as an associated factor and has correlation with tobacco consumption in young people in Karachi. Further research is needed by conducting GYTS using the standard methodology and tobacco awareness programmes need to be integrated in health promoting schools to reduce the ETS.