Tobacco use among 10th grade students in Istanbul and related variables

Aim of this study was to determine prevalence of cigarette smoking and hookah use among 10th grade students in Istanbul, Turkey, and to compare sociodemographic, psychological and behavioral variables according to frequency of tobacco use. Cross-sectional online self-report survey conducted in 45 schools from the 15 districts in Istanbul/Turkey. The questionnaire included sections about demographic data, family characteristics, school life, psychological symptoms and use of substances including tobacco, hookah, alcohol, marijuana, volatiles, heroin, cocaine, non-prescribed legal tranquillizers (benzodiazepines, alprazolam etc.) and illegal tranquillizers (flunitrazepam). The analyses were conducted based on the 4957 subjects. Trial at least once in life is observed as 45.4% for hookah use and as 24.4% for cigarette use. Risk of hookah and cigarette use was significantly higher in male students than in female students. Frequency of tobacco use is related with various sociodemographic, psychological and behavioral variables. Our data also shows that using tobacco and alcohol increases the risk of all the other substances use and these effects are interrelated. The data suggest that there is a link between tobacco use and substance use, psychological, behavioral and social factors. There is also a strong association between tobacco use and suicidal behavior as well as self-mutilative, impulsive, hyperactive, delinquent, aggressive and behavioral problems. The illumination of these relationships may be relevant in prevention and management of tobacco use as well as important problems, such as substance use, impulsivity, hyperactivity, delinquent, aggressive self-mutilative and suicidal behavior among 10th grade students in Istanbul.