Survey – Global Youth Tobacco Survey – Jamaica 2010

 gyts_jamaicaGlobal Youth Tobacco Survey – Jamaica 2010

The Jamaican GYTS is a school based survey of students in Grades 7, 8,9,10. A two stage cluster sample design was used to produce representative data for all Jamaica. At the first stage, schools were selected with probability to enrollment size. At second stage, classes were randomly selected and all students in selected classes were eligible to participate. The school response rate was 100%. A total of 1825 students participated. Student response rate was 78% and overall response rate at 78%.

Prevalence:
44.4% of students had ever smoked cigarettes (Male=50.1%, Female 39.1%)
31.3% currently use any tobacco product (Male 32.5%, Female 28%)
20.2 currently smoke cigarettes (Male=22.5%, Female 17.7%)
19.5% currently use any other tobacco products (Male=20.5%, Female 16.0%)
19.7% of never smokers who are likely to start smoking next year

Knowlegde and Attitudes
41.8% think boys and 22.6% think girls who smoke have more friends
12.6% think boys and 9.5% think girls who smoke are more attractive

Access and Availabiity-Current Smokers
43.6% of current smokers usually smoke at home 
46.8% buy cigarettes in a store
76.8% who bought cigarettes were not refused purchase because of age

Environmental Tobacco Smoke
40.5% live in homes where others smoke in their presence
66.5% are around others who smoke in places outside their home
70.7% think smoking should be banned from public spaces
65.6% think smoke from others is harmful to them
35.4% have one or parents who smoke
14.1% have most or all friends who smoke

Cessation-Current Smokers
57.6% want to stop smoking
62.8% tried to stop during the past year
69.1% have ever received help to stop smoking

Media and Advertising
69.1% saw anti-smoking media messages, in the past 30 days
59.8% saw pro-cigarette ads on billboards, in the past 30 days
54% saw pro-cigarette ads in newspapers or magazines, in the past 30 days
14.7% have an object with a cigarette brand logo
9.8% were offered free cigarettes by a tobacco company representative

School
45.3% had been taught in class, during the past year, about the dangers of smoking
32.5% had been taught in class, during the past year, reasons why people their age smoke
42.1% had been taught in class, during the past year, the effects of tobacco use

Highlights

Prevalence rates have increased in all categories over 2006.

One third of students currently use any form of tobacco product, 20%currently smoke cigarettes, 19% currently use other tobacco products.

ETS exposure is increasing

4 out of 10 students live in homes where others smoke

6 in 10 are exposed to smoke in public places

About 7 out of 10 think smoking should be banned in public spaces

6 out of 10 smokers want to stop

Access and availability has increased

8 out of 10 students were not refused purchase because of age