| Summary: | Introduction
Exposure to secondhand smoke (SHS) has
proven to be a public health problem. The problem is even
worse among vulnerable groups like non-smoking children
and adolescents. There is limited information on SHS
exposure among Nigerian adolescents; thus, this study aims
to describe the predictors of exposure to SHS among nonsmoking,
in-school adolescents in Ibadan, Nigeria.
Methods
A cross-sectional study was conducted among
randomly-selected non-smoking in-school adolescents
(n=825), from 18 secondary schools in Ibadan, Nigeria.
Using the GYTS questionnaires, respondents’ exposure to
SHS was determined in relation to location: inside home,
outside home, both inside and outside home, and either
inside or outside home. Data were analyzed using descriptive
statistics, bivariate analysis, and logistic regression model
(α=0.05).
Results
Participants’ mean age was 14 (SD=1.72) years, and
they belonged to high, middle and low social class in the
following respective proportions: 49.5%, 30.3% and 20.1%.
The prevalence of exposure to SHS were: inside home (6.1%),
outside home (31.5%), both inside and outside home (5.1%),
and either inside or outside home (32.5%). The majority
(56.2%) perceived that most of their peers smoke. Having a
smoking friend (AOR=2.62; 95% CI: 1.58–4.37) and smoking
family (AOR=2.08; 95% CI: 1.32–3.28), going on tobacco
errands (AOR=3.32; 95% CI: 1.79–6.17), believing their
peers smoke (AOR=1.48; 95% CI: 1.07–2.05) and belonging
to a low social class (AOR=1.66; 95% CI: 1.05–2.62) were
identified as predictors of exposure to SHS either inside or
outside home.
Conclusions
One in every three adolescents was exposed to
tobacco smoke either inside or outside home, and exposure
to SHS outside home was higher than inside home. The high
prevalence of secondhand tobacco smoking among in-school
adolescents in Ibadan suggests that the smoke-free policy in
Nigeria needs to be strengthened. Besides a comprehensive
smoke-free environment, other tobacco-control interventions
should extend to non-smoking adolescents, especially those
having the predictors of SHS exposure found in this study.
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