Abstract

KNOWLEDGE AND AWARENESS OF TOBACCO HAZARDS IN TEENAGERS OF VILLAGE WADAD

Sanket Mohata and Dr. Pradnya Deepak Dandekar*

Abstract

Background: India is the second largest consumer of tobacco products and third largest producer of tobacco in the world. Most people are unaware that even the smallest level of tobacco use is dangerous. According to the National Survey on Drug Use and Health, more than 80 percent of all adult smokers begin smoking before the age of 18; and more than 90 percent do so before leaving their teens. With this background the present study is designed & conducted in small village of Wardha district. Aim and Objectives: Aim of the study was to assess the knowledge & awareness of tobacco hazards in teenagers in village Wadad. Objectives were to determine the knowledge of tobacco products & to assess the awareness of tobacco hazards in teenagers of village Wadad. Material and Method: All the girls and boys in between the age group 13 to 19 were selected for the study. A survey based questionnaire was prepared & get validated. Their responses were collected & analysed. Result: After scrutiny of population of village Wadad, 100 teenagers were found in between age 13 to 19 years. All were responded to the survey based questionnaire. 95 % have knowledge of tobacco. Only 50% were aware about the different products of tobacco. 97.89% were aware about bad effects of tobacco. But only 40% teenagers knew about passive smoking and its ill effects. 57.89% were aware about get rid from it. It is observed that television is the most effective source to spread awareness. Conclusion: Teenagers are high risk group to get habit of tobacco consumption. Effects of passive smoking are not well known to society. It is need to make society aware about this.

Keywords: Smoked tobacco, Teenagers, Hazards of tobacco, Passive smoking.