Smoking behavior among 14-17 year old students: a comparison between Pakistan and the UK

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Adolescent Health
• Global Health

Background:

• Cigarette smoking is a leading preventable cause of global mortality and morbidity.
• Adolescents aged 14-17 represent a vulnerable demographic susceptible to initiating smoking.
• Peer influence and role modeling among older students can significantly impact adolescent smoking behaviors.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare smoking prevalence and patterns among high school students in Pakistan and the United Kingdom.
• To identify differences in motivations and behaviors related to smoking initiation and maintenance in adolescents across two distinct cultural contexts.

Main Methods:

• A cross-sectional study design was employed.
• Anonymous, self-administered questionnaires, adapted from the World Health Organization (WHO) tobacco smoking questionnaire, were used for data collection.
• Data were collected from 235 high school students in the UK and 350 in Pakistan.

Main Results:

• Regular smoking prevalence was comparable: 16% in the UK and 17% in Pakistan.
• Males in both countries were significantly more likely to be regular smokers.
• Key differences emerged in smoking motivations: social/recreational in the UK versus peer pressure in Pakistan. Lifetime prevalence was higher in the UK, while daily smoking was more common in Pakistan.

Conclusions:

• Significant variations exist in adolescent smoking patterns and motivations between Pakistan and the UK.
• Understanding these country-specific differences is crucial for developing targeted and effective public health interventions to curb youth smoking.
• The findings highlight the need for culturally sensitive approaches to smoking prevention and cessation programs for adolescents globally.