Hygiena 2016, 61(1):11-18 | DOI: 10.21101/hygiena.a1440

Aspects Searching of Tobacco Smoking among Elementary School Pupils - Selected Results of a Case Study in South Moravian Region

Dana Hübelová

Mendelova univerzita v Brně, Fakulta regionálního rozvoje a mezinárodních studií, Ústav demografie a aplikované statistiky, Brno

The prevalence of tobacco smoking is a serious issue among adolescents with major implications in healthcare but also in socioeconomic and demographic sphere. The object of case study is to specify the relationship of elementary school pupils to smoking tobacco based on various factors (age, gender, type of school, geographical location, size of residence, social status, etc.). A questionnaire is analysis tool research sample consists of 628 students. In the study, almost 40% of pupils aged 13 years and 85% of pupils aged 15 confirmed experience with smoking, the differences between boys and girls are not significant. One in six aged 15 smokes at least once a week, irrespective of gender. Boys (especially aged 15) outweigh at the everyday smoking. The results indicate a link between smoking adolescents and pupil's characteristics (social, economic status, single parent family, the family of foreigners, education, etc.). The link between smoking and type of school (class size, preventive programs, problem solving, after-school activities etc.) is obvious. It is possible to identify risk categories of pupils of schools and to target prevention to socially and educationally disadvantaged groups of the population, to the age group 13 year (elimination of experimenting with smoking) and to 15 year (greater awareness of health risks of smoking).

Keywords: underage smoking, smoking aspects, case study

Received: December 2015; Accepted: February 5, 2016; Published: March 1, 2016  Show citation