CONFERENCE PROCEEDING
The prevalence of hookah smokers among
children and adolescents aged 12 – 16 in
Belarus
More details
Hide details
1
Research Institute of Hygiene, Toxicology, Epidemiology, Virology and Microbiology, Minsk, Belarus
2
Scientific and Practical Center of Hygiene,
Minsk, Belarus
Publication date: 2024-10-17
Tob. Prev. Cessation 2024;10(Supplement 1):A8
KEYWORDS
ABSTRACT
The purpose of this survey was to assess the prevalence of hookah
use among children and adolescents aged 12 – 16 in Belarus.
This survey involved a total of 3,485 people, including 1,737
girls and 1,726 boys, and included six questions from the main
questionnaire of the GYTS aimed at hookah consumption. The
statistical analysis was performed using the SUDAAN software
package; a 95% confidence interval was calculated to determine
weighted prevalence estimates and standard errors. According
to the GYTS survey conducted in the Republic of Belarus in
2021, hookah smoking is becoming increasingly popular. The
number of adolescents who have ever smoked hookah is 9.3%.
The prevalence of regular hookah smokers is quite low (0.9%).
However, there are justified fears that teens who have never
smoked cigarettes but have tried hookah are more likely to start
smoking cigarettes and become regular cigarette smokers within
two years. The frequency of hookah use naturally increases with
age. The number of adolescents who have ever smoked hookah in
groups of 14, 15, and 16 years of age, and among students in 9th,
and 10th grades is 2.6 times more than among students aged 13
years and the 7th grade, respectively (10.7%, 11.7% and 18.2%
of adolescents, respectively, vs. 5.5% of 12-year-olds, with p <
0.001; 13.0% and 14.2% of students in the 9th and 10th grades
respectively, vs. 5.1% of students in the 7th grade, p<0.001).
This national survey provides the first data on the prevalence of
hookah smoking among children and adolescents in Belarus and
allows us to conclude that the growing popularity of waterpipe
tobacco smoking dictates the need for timely recommendations
on waterpipe smoking policy.
CONFLICTS OF INTEREST
The authors have no conflicts of interest to declare.
FUNDING
Funding is not provided.