PREVALENCE OF SMOKING AMONG ADOLESCENTS OF YAKUTSK

The article focuses on smoking - one of the most common bad habits spread among the major part of the world's population. Tobacco use is one of major risk factors for a number of chronic diseases, including cancer, lung and cardiovascular disease. A number of countries had adopted laws restricting tobacco advertisement, establishing a circle of persons who can buy and consume tobacco products as well as regulating smoking areas. It is proved that the respiratory system (larynx, trachea, bronchial tube, lungs) is more affected by regular intake of nicotine. That is why almost every smoker has problems with his lungs, bronchi or trachea. The aim of the research is to study prevalence of smoking among adolescents in Yakutsk. The study was conducted by a representative sample of Yakutsk schoolchildren with the use of a random number generator. 6 schools were selected from the list of all general education institutions of the city. 931 students of grades 8-11 aged 13 to 17 took a voluntary participation in the survey, among which 57,3% are boys, 42,7% are girls respectively. According to the results of the survey, the prevalence of tobacco consumption among schoolchildren in Yakutsk was 41,5%, among which 39,6% are boys, 44% are girls. Proportion of children with experience of smoking by the age 15-17 is 2.6 times higher than the indicators of a group of children aged 13-15, which indicates sustainable formation of tobacco dependence among adolescents of this age. Analysis on number of cigarettes consumed per day revealed that 71% of boys and 65% of girls smoked up to 5 cigarettes per day; 18% of boys and 30% of girls smoked from 5 to 10 cigarettes per day; 5% of children consumed 10 and more than 12 cigarettes respectively. Among occasional smokers 18% of children smoked 5 and more cigarettes per day. To fight against smoking among adolescents integrative approaches are required combining both preventive and special programs using age-appropriate modern methods of rehabilitation.