Percentage of Current Tobacco Smoking Students Receiving Help or Advice to Quit: Evidence from the Global Youth Tobacco Survey

ABSTRACT:

Introduction:
We assessed self-reported receipt of help or advice to stop smoking among current tobacco smoking students enrolled in school.

Methods:
Using cross-sectional data collected between 2012–2015 from the Global Youth Tobacco Survey (GYTS), and representing the latest year for which data were collected, we calculated prevalence of receipt of help or advice to stop smoking among current tobacco smoking students aged 13–15 years from 56 countries. The sources of help or advice assessed in the GYTS were: 1) from a program or professional, 2) from a friend, and 3) from a family member. Overall response rates ranged from 60.3% in Nicaragua to 99.2% in Sudan. The analytic sample size ranged from 55 in Gabon to 950 in Bulgaria.

Results:
In 53 of the 56 assessed countries, more than half of current tobacco smoking students received help or advice to quit from either a program or professional, friend, or family member (range=39.9% San Marino to 96.9% Timor-Leste). From a friend or family member only, the range was 37.2% Bahamas to 69.9% Montenegro, and from a program or professional only, the range was 3.7% Latvia to 34.2% Togo.

Conclusions:
Family and friends are the most common sources of help or advice to quit smoking among current tobacco smoking students in the GYTS countries assessed, while programs and professionals were the least common. The use of evidence-based measures is critical to prevent and reduce tobacco use among youth and to ensure they are receiving appropriate help or advice to quit.