Passive smoking: knowledge, exposure and responses among adolescents in a rural setting in Sri Lanka

Passive smoking adversely affects the health of those exposed to it. Exposure to passive smoking among adolescents is also associated with early initiation to smoking.

This study aimed at determining the knowledge, exposure and response to passive smoking among adolescents in a rural setting in Sri Lanka.

Adolescents studying in grade 10 in seven rural schools in Polonnaruwa district.

A cross-sectional study, using a self-administered questionnaire, was conducted among 498 adolescents selected proportionate to the size of the student population using a multi-stage cluster sampling method.

The response rate was 99.6% (498/500). Only 69.3%, (n=345) had heard of the term passive smoking. Of those who had heard of the term, 83.2%, (n=287) was accurate about what the term meant. Only 2.4% (n=12) of the study population was categorized as having a good level of knowledge on passive smoking. Self reported exposure levels to passive smoking was low among a majority (81%, n=406). On inquiring how they had reacted or will react to a situation of exposure to passive smoking, a majority (92.2%, n=459) indicated that they had/will rescind from the situation.

The level of knowledge on passive smoking was poor among the adolescents in the rural setting in Sri Lanka. Despite the low level of exposure, the adolescents indicated that they were/will be assertive when faced with a situation of exposure to passive smoking. The study recommends that knowledge of adolescents on passive smoking be improved.