Tuğba Kocahan, Erdoğan Asar, Aydan Örsçelik, Çağrı E Şahin, Gökhan Büyüklüoğlu, Buse Ataoğlu, Yunus E Bulut, Toker Ergüder
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引用次数: 0
Abstract
Introduction: Youth smoking and passive exposure is a serious public health problem. This study examined the prevalence of tobacco use and passive exposure to smoke among adolescent athletes.
Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted in Ankara, Türkiye, in 2023. It was based on the survey data from 201 licensed athletes, of whom 36.3% were female and 63.7% were male, aged 13-14 years, residing in Ankara province. The respondents were asked to complete a questionnaire regarding their use of tobacco products and exposure to secondhand smoke.
Results: The mean age of the respondents was 13.4 ± 0.5 years, with a mean sports age of 3.2 ± 2.0 years. Among the athletes, 92% (n=185) reported they never used tobacco products, 7.0% (n=14) tried, 0.5% (n=1) quit using tobacco products, and 0.5% (n=1) currently smoke tobacco. Among the adolescents, 59.2% reported passive exposure to tobacco smoke inside and 71.1% outside the home. The rates of daily secondhand smoking (≥1 h or <1 h) did not differ by gender (p>0.05), but weekly passive exposure was significantly higher in male athletes (67.0% vs 33.0%, p<0.05), as was no exposure (female: 34.1%, male: 65.9%, p<0.05). Among all athletes, 46.7% reported that at least one of their parents smoked, while 19.9% reported that both parents smoked.
Conclusions: Tobacco use among adolescent athletes in Türkiye is minimal, yet passive smoking is a significant concern. Given the high prevalence of passive smoke exposure reported among adolescent athletes, particularly at home and in outdoor settings, further attention to reducing such exposure is warranted. The low prevalence of active tobacco use in this population suggests that preventive measures may be effective in maintaining low smoking rates as these adolescents age. Significantly lower prevalence of active smoking among the respondents could be attributed to their active engagement in sports and their young 13-14 years age.
期刊介绍:
Tobacco Induced Diseases encompasses all aspects of research related to the prevention and control of tobacco use at a global level. Preventing diseases attributable to tobacco is only one aspect of the journal, whose overall scope is to provide a forum for the publication of research articles that can contribute to reducing the burden of tobacco induced diseases globally. To address this epidemic we believe that there must be an avenue for the publication of research/policy activities on tobacco control initiatives that may be very important at a regional and national level. This approach provides a very important "hands on" service to the tobacco control community at a global scale - as common problems have common solutions. Hence, we see ourselves as "connectors" within this global community.
The journal hence encourages the submission of articles from all medical, biological and psychosocial disciplines, ranging from medical and dental clinicians, through health professionals to basic biomedical and clinical scientists.