MPOWER Implementation in Senegal: A Look at Youth Tobacco Use and Control Efforts - Global Youth Tobacco Survey Senegal (GYTS)
BA O, NDIAYE M, MBAYE A, DIOP A, DIEME JL, ADOUM H, GUEYE MN, DIOUF G, BOYE A, NIANG RD, DIA D, GAYE K, DIALLO A, HANN A, CAMARA FB, SYLLA A, DIOP Y, SAVARE L, FALL A.
Introduction: Tobacco use remains a major public health problem in developing countries, where its prevalence is constantly increasing.
Young people constitute a vulnerable population due to the behavioral changes of adolescence and are a major target for the tobacco industry. This national epidemiological surveillance survey of tobacco use in schools, commonly known as the Global Youth Tobacco Survey (GYTS), is the fourth of its kind in Senegal.
Objective: The Global Youth Tobacco Survey (GYTS), part of the Global Tobacco Surveillance System (GTSS), is a global standard for systematically monitoring tobacco use among young people (smokers and non-smokers) and tracking key tobacco control indicators.
It is a school-based survey of students aged 13 to 15 years old that aims to gather information on smoking prevalence and five determinants: accessibility/availability, exposure to tobacco, smoking cessation, advertising/media, and curriculum.
Methodology: The GYTS is a cross-sectional, nationally representative school-based survey of students aged 13 to 15 years old, conducted from January 3 to 31, 2020. We used a standardized global methodology that includes a two-stage sampling design with schools selected with probability proportional to enrollment size. Classes in the selected schools are randomly selected, and all students in the selected classes can participate in the survey using a standardized background questionnaire with a set of optional questions to measure key tobacco control indicators. The questionnaire covers the following topics: smoking (smokeless and non-smokeless), cessation, passive smoking, pro- and anti-tobacco media and advertising, access to and availability of tobacco products, and knowledge and attitudes regarding smoking. The questionnaire is self-administered and anonymous to ensure confidentiality. The research protocol was approved by the National Ethics Committee.
Results: The school participation rate was 94%. A total of 4,320 students responded to the survey, including 2,524 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 to the last GYTS 2013 survey, there was a significant decrease in overall prevalence of 2.8% and in cigarette use of 1.8% and 2.6%, respectively, among boys and girls. 78.6% of student smokers, or 8 out of 10, want to quit. 25.3% of students have been exposed to secondhand tobacco smoke in public places. 61.8% of children surveyed reported anti-smoking messages in the media, and 21% reported tobacco promotional messages at points of sale. 46.6% of them believe that other people’s smoking is harmful to their health, and 53.8% support a ban on smoking in enclosed public places.
Conclusion: Senegal’s anti-smoking policy is beginning to bear fruit, with a downward trend in the prevalence of smoking among children in schools, but the ban on smoking in public places is not always enforced.
