Original Research Article
Year: 2019 | Month: March | Volume: 6 | Issue: 3 | Pages: 26-32
Prevalence and Pattern of Nicotine Use among College Students in Northern India
Manjeet Singh1, Vishal Sinha1, Sayantanava Mitra2, Zeeshan Anwar3, Rama Shankar Maddeshiya1
1Department of Psychiatry, S. N. Medical College Agra
2Central Queensland Mental Health, Alcohol and other Drugs Services (CQMHAODS), Rockhampton Base Hospital, Queensland 4700, Australia
3Department of Medicine, M. L. N. Medical College Allahabad
Corresponding Author: Vishal Sinha
ABSTRACT
Background: It is important to study and understand the pattern and prevalence of nicotine use in youth- especially with their ubiquitous availability, innovations in products (e.g. e-cigarettes, gums, patches) and fast-changing life-style factors as stress, peer-pressure etc.
Aim: We studied the prevalence and pattern of nicotine use, socio-demographic characteristics, and adverse effects of nicotine use amongst college going students. This study also aimed at seeking these consumers’ perception regarding regulation of nicotine use for their age group.
Method: This was a cross sectional study, and included participants from various colleges and streams. All data were collected using self-administered semi-structured proforma, after obtaining written consent from the participants. We used Fagerstrom scale for nicotine use, General Health Questionnaire and WHOQOL-BREF for quantifying various domains. Statistical analysis was done using SPSS.
Results: The mean age of students was 22.51±2.95 years, and majority of the participant started nicotine use between 18 and 21 years of age. Out of a total of 525 male participants, 57.90% used nicotine products in some form, while only 10.18% of the 275 female respondents did so. The overall prevalence of nicotine users among college students appears to be 35.8%.
Conclusion: Nicotine use seems to be a common problem among young college students in urban north India. While there are multiple health related ramifications of this pattern, there is a possibility that a large proportion of this population goes on to become addicted to harder drugs, being initiated in this with this apparently harmless addiction.
Key words: Nicotine; Prevalence; Youth
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