| Summary: | Introduction
This study aimed to assess the association between toombak
(smokeless tobacco) advertisement at point-of-sale (PoS) and its use among
adolescents in Sudan.
Methods
A cross-sectional school-based and self-administered questionnaire study
was conducted. Schools were randomly selected using a one-stage stratified
sampling procedure, during 2013–2014, as part of a larger research project
focusing on the use of toombak among secondary school students in Khartoum
State, Sudan. The sample size was 1526 students. Data were collected on exposure
to toombak advertisement, social acceptability, perceived accessibility to toombak,
susceptibility, and toombak use.
Results
A total of 41.8% of the adolescents were exposed to an advertisement at
PoS, while 12.5% perceived direct access to toombak, 5.3% reported that they
were susceptible to use toombak, and 10.9% were ever toombak users. Exposure
to the advertisement of toombak at PoS was found to be associated with the older
age group (44.3%) (p≤0.05). Males were more than females (45.2% vs 38.8%;
p≤0.05). Those exposed to toombak advertisements at PoS reported more social
acceptability towards toombak (48.9% vs 37.6%; p≤0.001) and direct accessibility
to toombak (68.8% vs 47.2%; p≤0.05). Ever toombak users reported higher
exposure to advertisements than non-users (54.5% vs 40.3%; p≤0.001).
Conclusions
Exposure to toombak advertisements at PoS was found to be high and
associated with increased toombak use in Khartoum State, Sudan, in addition
to increasing social acceptability to its use and perceived easy accessibility. The
current law, which bans toombak advertisement and promotion at PoS, needs to
be enforced.
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