BACKGROUND: Smoking remains a significant global health issue, contributing to millions of preventable deaths annually. It is the leading cause of preventable mortality worldwide. This study aims to examine the characteristics of Filipino adolescent smokers aged 13–15 years and identify the factors influencing their intention to continue tobacco use over the next 12 months.
METHODS: This study utilized a secondary analysis of the 2015 Global Youth Tobacco Survey (GYTS) conducted in the Philippines. It investigated the association of key factors with the intention of current adolescent smokers to continue using tobacco within the next 12 months. The factors examined included: (1) exposure to anti-tobacco media campaigns, (2) awareness of health warnings on cigarette packaging, and (3) education on the dangers of tobacco use in school settings.
RESULTS: The adjusted odds of intending to continue using any form of tobacco in the next 12 months were significantly higher among adolescents who had not seen health warnings on cigarette packages (AOR = 1.24; 95% CI: 0.62–2.49) and those not taught about the dangers of tobacco in any class (AOR = 1.32; 95% CI: 0.71–2.45). Furthermore, adolescents who had not been exposed to anti-tobacco messages through television, radio, internet, billboards, posters, newspapers, magazines, or movies were substantially more likely to report an intention to continue using tobacco (AOR = 2.19; 95% CI: 1.14–4.21).
CONCLUSIONS: Understanding the impact of various tobacco control strategies on adolescents' intention to continue using tobacco is vital for enhancing policies and programs aimed at effective youth tobacco control. A well-designed anti-tobacco campaign leveraging both traditional and digital media should be integral to a comprehensive tobacco control strategy. Additionally, health warnings on cigarette packaging should be reinforced by policies that prohibit the sale of single-stick cigarettes, addressing a key driver of youth tobacco consumption.