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CONFERENCE PROCEEDING
Tobacco use among Croatian schoolchildren two years after the begging of COVID-19 pandemic
1
Croatian Institute of Public Health, Zagreb, Croatia
Publication date: 2023-04-25
Tob. Prev. Cessation 2023;9(Supplement):A129
KEYWORDS
ABSTRACT
Introduction:
The aim was to analyze the association between tobacco smoking and the impact of COVID-19 on mental health, in Croatian schoolchildren aged 11, 13 and 15.
Material and Methods:
The data of the Health Behaviour in School-aged Children (HBSC) research conducted in Croatia in spring of 2022. The sample included 2411 boys and 2589 girls. Pearson Chi-Square was used.
Results:
In the last 30 days, 2,6% of boys and 1,1% of girls aged 11 reported smoking at least once (p=0,018). 7,3% of boys and 8,1% of girls aged 13 (p=0,544), alongside 24,3% of boys and 27,7% of girls aged 15 (p=0,122), reported the same. Negative COVID-19 impact on mental health was reported by 20,8% of boys aged 11, 17,9% of boys aged 13, and 19,7% of boys aged 15 (p>0,05). Negative COVID-19 impact on mental health was reported by 18,5% of girls aged 11, 35% of girls aged 13, and 39,2% of girls aged 15 (p<0,001). Among 11-year-olds, 6.6% of boys with negative COVID-19 impact on mental health smoked in the last 30 days, alongside 1.6% of boys with neutral/positive COVID-19 impact (p=0,001). The same goes for 2,0% of girls with negative and 0.7% of girls with neutral/positive COVID-19 impact on mental health (p=0,171). Among 13-year-old boys, 9,9% with negative and 6,2% with neutral/positive COVID-19 impact on mental health smoked in the last 30 days (p=0.119). In the same age group, 12,7% of girls with negative and 5,5% of girls with neutral/positive COVID-19 impact on mental health smoked in the last 30 days (p<0,001). 32.4% of boys with negative and 22.3% of boys with neutral/positive COVID-19 impact on mental health, aged 15, smoked in the last 30 days (p=0.015). Meanwhile, 38.1% of girls with negative and 20,4% of girls with neutral/positive COVID-19 impact on public health, aged 15, also reported smoking at least once in the last 30 days (p<0,001).
Conclusions:
There was an increase in tobacco use in 2022, in comparison to 2018. While 11-year-old boys smoke more frequently than girls, the difference disappears with age, with 15-year-old girls notably smoking tobacco almost more frequently than boys (not significantly different). Cigarette smoking is associated with perceived negative COVID impact on mental health in boys aged 11 and 15, and girls aged 13 and 15.
The aim was to analyze the association between tobacco smoking and the impact of COVID-19 on mental health, in Croatian schoolchildren aged 11, 13 and 15.
Material and Methods:
The data of the Health Behaviour in School-aged Children (HBSC) research conducted in Croatia in spring of 2022. The sample included 2411 boys and 2589 girls. Pearson Chi-Square was used.
Results:
In the last 30 days, 2,6% of boys and 1,1% of girls aged 11 reported smoking at least once (p=0,018). 7,3% of boys and 8,1% of girls aged 13 (p=0,544), alongside 24,3% of boys and 27,7% of girls aged 15 (p=0,122), reported the same. Negative COVID-19 impact on mental health was reported by 20,8% of boys aged 11, 17,9% of boys aged 13, and 19,7% of boys aged 15 (p>0,05). Negative COVID-19 impact on mental health was reported by 18,5% of girls aged 11, 35% of girls aged 13, and 39,2% of girls aged 15 (p<0,001). Among 11-year-olds, 6.6% of boys with negative COVID-19 impact on mental health smoked in the last 30 days, alongside 1.6% of boys with neutral/positive COVID-19 impact (p=0,001). The same goes for 2,0% of girls with negative and 0.7% of girls with neutral/positive COVID-19 impact on mental health (p=0,171). Among 13-year-old boys, 9,9% with negative and 6,2% with neutral/positive COVID-19 impact on mental health smoked in the last 30 days (p=0.119). In the same age group, 12,7% of girls with negative and 5,5% of girls with neutral/positive COVID-19 impact on mental health smoked in the last 30 days (p<0,001). 32.4% of boys with negative and 22.3% of boys with neutral/positive COVID-19 impact on mental health, aged 15, smoked in the last 30 days (p=0.015). Meanwhile, 38.1% of girls with negative and 20,4% of girls with neutral/positive COVID-19 impact on public health, aged 15, also reported smoking at least once in the last 30 days (p<0,001).
Conclusions:
There was an increase in tobacco use in 2022, in comparison to 2018. While 11-year-old boys smoke more frequently than girls, the difference disappears with age, with 15-year-old girls notably smoking tobacco almost more frequently than boys (not significantly different). Cigarette smoking is associated with perceived negative COVID impact on mental health in boys aged 11 and 15, and girls aged 13 and 15.
CONFLICTS OF INTEREST
There is no conflict of interest of the author and any of the co-authors.
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