Smoking among children and adolescents as a modern multidisciplinary problem

The prevalence of smoking, use of tobacco and nicotine-containing products among children and adolescents is a significant problem of our time. The continuing high prevalence of child and adolescent smoking and contradictory statistical data for certain regions of the Russian Federation determine the need to study this topic.Purpose. To study the prevalence and risk factors of smoking among children and adolescents in the Republic of Bashkortostan. Material and methods. A one-stage continuous study oftobacco smoking among children aged 7 to 17 years was conducted using an anonymous voluntary online questionnaire of schoolchildren using the Google questionnaire form. 76 543 respondents took part in the study.Results. The study showed that 2.5% of children and adolescents are smokers. More than 3/4 of them smoke daily, most of them prefer electronic cigarettes. Every fourth child is not motivated to quit smoking. Half of smoking children first try smoking at the age of 12–17 years, 1/3 — at the age of 10 years. The reasons for introducing children to smoking are the example of parents, friends and classmates, the availability of smoking products. Every third child who smokes feels a deterioration in their health. Every second child is open to communication with adults and is ready to listen to medical conversations.Conclusion. To reduce the prevalence of smoking among children and adolescents, competent, scientifically based multidisciplinary work is needed with the introduction of regional multicomponent prevention programs.