Prevalence of current tobacco use in adolescents (13-15 years) (percentage)
Rationale for use
The risk of chronic diseases starts early in childhood and such behaviour continues to adulthood. Tobacco is an addictive substance and smoking often starts in adolescence, before the development of risk perception. By the time the risk to health is recognized, the addicted individuals find it difficult to stop tobacco use.
Definition
Prevalence of tobacco use (including smoking, oral tobacco and snuff) on more than one occasion in the 30 days preceding the survey, among adolescent 13-15 year olds.
Data sources
Global Youth Tobacco Survey (GYTS) and Global School Health Survey (GSHS). GYTS started in 1998 and is ongoing. Few countries have repeated surveys. This is a school based selfadministrated questionnaire.
Methods of estimation
Adjustments and standardizations are made as necessary.
Disaggregation
By sex.
References
Database
Comments
Some of the surveys were conducted in small sub-national populations and therefore may not accurately reflect the national picture.