Factors Affecting Use of Tobacco among Higher Secondary Students of Kalimati, Kathmandu

Background: Tobacco product are products made entirely or partly of leaf tobacco as raw material, which are intended to be smoked, sucked, chewed, or snuffed. Tobacco use, among the adolescents is a growing public health problem the world has ever faced. More than 7 million deaths occur from tobacco use every day. Literature has shown that the prevalence of the tobacco uses was high among adolescents. Methodology: A cross-sectional descriptive study design was used.150 respondents were taken as sample size. Probability sampling technique and self- administered questionnaire modified from GYTS, Version 2011 was used as a research instruments. Analysis was done using SPSSversion 16. Findings: The study revealed that maximum 57.3% were male, majority 71.3% were from nuclear family, more than fifty 62.7% respondent's family uses tobacco products and majority75.8% tobacco is used by the respondent’s father. Majority 73.3% uses the hookah, more than half 64% gets tobacco from shop, and almost half 46.7% initiated tobacco product as experiment/curiosity and majority 74.7% uses in cafe. There is statically association found on frequency of tobacco used by the respondents with sex, residence of the respondent, time spend by the parents and initiated age of the tobacco. Greater strength of association on sex and initiated age of the tobacco use where lower strength of association on residence of the respondents and time spend by family. Conclusion: About 15-20% of each higher secondary school students involve on the use of tobacco products. Gender, living place, time spend by the parents, initiated age of tobacco use, increase cafe cultural, easy availability and accessibility were the common factors for the use of tobacco among higher secondary students. So buying and selling tobacco products everywhere must be prohibited and adolescents should be restricted to use tobacco products in cafe or public places.