BACKGROUND: Young people are a vulnerable population and an important target for the tobacco industry.This national survey of epidemiological surveillance of smoking in schools, commonly called the “Global Youth Tobacco Survey (GYTS), is the 4th of its kind in Senegal.The objective of this study is to evaluate tobacco use among students aged 13 to 15 through the GYTS, a global tobacco surveillance system (GTSS), monitor key tobacco control indicators.
METHODS: It's a national cross-sectional survey, conducted in schools in January 2020.The methodology is standardized and includes a two-stage sampling plan of schools and classes. Students in selected classes complete an anonymous questionnaire to measure key tobacco control indicators. A weighting factor was applied to reflect sampling probability. Statistical analysis was carried out with technical support from the CDC Foundation and WHO.
RESULTS: The school participation rate was 94%.A total of 4320 students responded to the survey, of whom 2524 were aged 13 to 15.9.2% of students use tobacco in various forms, 11.6% of boys and 6.9% of girls.7, 2% of students smoke cigarettes and 3.4% use other forms of tobacco.
Compared with the last GYTS 2013 survey, there has been a significant drop in overall prevalence of 2.8% and cigarette use of 1.8%,2.6% among boys and girls respectively.78.6% of students would like to quit smoking. 25.3% of students have been exposed to second-hand tobacco smoke in public places. 46.6% of them think that other people's smoking is harmful to their health and 53.8% are in favor of banning smoking in enclosed public places.
Senegal's anti-smoking policy is beginning to bear fruit, with a downward trend in smoking prevalence, but the ban on smoking in public places is not always respected.
CONCLUSIONS: Senegal's anti-smoking policy is beginning to bear fruit, with a downward trend in smoking prevalence among young people.
Key words: epidemiology Youth Tobacco- GYTS -Senegal