The Global Youth Tobacco Survey (GYTS), a component of the Global Tobacco Surveillance System, estimates the number of school students aged 13 to 15 years in Andhra Pradesh, who account for 2.6% (3.6% of boys and 1.5% of girls) of tobacco products. are consuming. ), smoking tobacco at 1.8% (2.7% of boys and 0.8% of girls), smoking cigarettes at 1.1% (1.6% of boys and 0.5% of girls), smoking beedi at 0.8% (1.3% of boys and 0.8% of girls). 0.2%) girls) and 1.1% (1.4% of boys) and 0.8% of girls who use smokeless tobacco.
Releasing the GYTS-AP Fact Sheet-2019 on Wednesday, Health Commissioner Katamneni Bhaskar said that the GYTS was a global standard for systematic monitoring of youth tobacco use (smoking and smokeless) and key tobacco control indicators. The objective was to document and monitor the extent of smoking and non-smoking tobacco use and to understand and assess students’ attitudes, knowledge and behavior towards tobacco use and its health impact.
The overall response rate in Andhra Pradesh was 99.7%. A total of 3,290 students from 33 schools (18 public and 15 private) participated in the survey. Out of them, 2,959 students were considered for reporting.
Some other findings are: 37% of students (42% of boys and 20% of girls) tried to quit smoking and 30% of current smokers wanted to quit.
A total of 7.2% of students were exposed to tobacco smoke at home and 22.5% of students were exposed to tobacco smoke inside closed public places. Forty-nine percent of school heads (43 percent in rural and 58 percent in urban schools) were aware of the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act, 2003 and 36 percent were aware of the policy of displaying ‘tobacco-free schools’ boards.
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