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Patterns Of Smoking And Health Risk Perception Of Out-of-school Youths
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1.3 Objective of the Study
The
general objective for this study is to assess the pattern of smoking
among out-of-school youth and their health risk perception.
The specific objectives are to:
1. measure the level of smoking prevalence among respondents;
2. assess the pattern of smoking among respondents and
3. determine if respondents have a good health risk perception of smoking.
1.4 Research Questions
1. At what level is the prevalence of smoking among respondents?
2. What is the pattern of smoking among respondents?
3. Do respondents have a good health risk perception of smoking?
1.5 Justification for the Study
Smoking
harms nearly every organ of the body and gradually reduces quality of
life (Abdulahi, 2014). Studies revealed the Nigerian population to be
more inclined to smoking with majority of smokers being youths
(Ogunmola, Adegboyega, Oluwafemi, 2015) indicating that Nigerian smokers
are more likely to be predisposed to its health risks. Over 4.5 million
adult Nigerians are tobacco addicts and about 5.4 million deaths occur
yearly due to smoking compared to 3 million and 1 million deaths caused
by AIDS and malaria respectively (Global Health Sector Strategy, 2011).
The unavailability of the tar contents of the recent cigarette produced
in Nigeria may also be another area of concern (Egbe, Petrerson &
Mayer-Weitz, 2016). According to an Independent Tobacco Control
Activist, Olusegun Owotomo, available statistics show that about 93
million sticks of cigarette are produced and consumed yearly in Nigeria
which has led to respiratory infections among 150,000-300,000 children
under the age of 18 months as a result of passive smoking.
With the
trend of tobacco use seen among youth in Nigeria and studies indicating
about half of all lifelong smokers will die prematurely, losing on
average about 10 years of life (Gholamreza, Mostafa, Mahmoud, Hadi,
Masoud & Atena, 2015). It is anticipated that a huge epidemic of
tobacco-related diseases might occur and with the long term consequences
of smoking on health (Melgosa, 2006). It is of great importance that
its reduction should be upmost interest in public health promotion and
education as not only the smokers but also non-smokers are predisposed
to these hazardous effects. As there is neither a safe tobacco product,
nor a safe level of tobacco use, the best way to prevent tobacco-related
deaths is to avoid using it.
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