1. Universitatea
Babeș-Bolyai
Cluj-Napoca
A Community-Based Prevention Program among Teenagers from Divers Communities
Tobacco use among young adolescents in Mureș, Harghita, and Covasna Counties
Preliminary findings
Principal investigator: prof. dr. Albert-Lőrincz Enikő
Coordinator of collecting and processing data : drd. Barna Gergő
Research team: associate professor Albert-Lőrincz Márton, drd. Bernáth Krisztina, drd. Szabó Béla
10. June 2014.
Cluj-Napoca

2. Research topic and aims
Research topic: Active and passive tobacco consumption among young, 7th and 8th grade adolescents in Mureș, Harghita and Covasna Counties.
Aims:
Describing prevalence of active and passive smoking.
Comparative analysis of tobacco use by teenagers belonging to particular social, cultural and ethnic communities.
Identification of risk factors that raise the likelihood of tobacco use.
Identifying highly vulnerable communities regarding tobacco use to design prevention programs adapted to the needs of the communities in question.

3. Methodology
Quantitative, transversal research, survey based on supervised self-administered questionnaire
Universe: 7th and 8th grade pupils in schools in Mureș, Harghita, and Covasna Counties where the language of instruction is Romanian or Hungarian.
Sample size: 1200 persons. Sampling error ±2,9%, confidence interval 95%.
Sampling method: random, stratified. Strata: county, settlement size, language of instruction pupils filled in the questionnaires in 26 settlements, 36 schools, and 72 classes (36 7th grade and 36 8th grade classes). Database is weighted according to data on school-aged population in strata used in our sample.
Data collection: self-administered supervised questionnaire. Questionnaires were applied in March 2014.

4. Pupils in the population Pupils in the sample (N)
Universe and sample
Pupils in the population
Pupils in the sample (N) %
County
Mureș
9 759
600
50,0
Harghita
5 972
367
30,6
Covasna
3 793
233
19,4
Settlement size
Under 5 thousand inhabitants
7 142
439
36,6
From 5 to 30 thousand inhabitants
6 631
408
34,0
Above 30 thousand inhabitants
5 751
353
29,5
Grade
7th grade
10 050
618
51,5
8th grade
9 474
582
48,5
Language of instruction
Romanian
8 445
519
43,3
Hungarian
11 079
681
56,7
Total
19 524
1 200
100,0

5. Active smoking
48% of respondents have tried smoking at least once. We observe a higher rate of smokers in Harghita County, large cities, among higher grade pupils, and pupils belonging to the Hungarian ethnic group. There is no significant difference between boys and girls.
In the selected three counties, 11,7 represents the average age for trying and experimenting with smoking.
13% of respondents reported smoking at least once in the last 30 days, so we may say that the prevalence of smokers is of 13%.
Counting for the whole life of the respondents we observe that 52% have never smoked, 31% smoked only once, 11% smoked or continues to smoke on occasions, and 6% smoked or smokes regularly.

6. Have you ever smoked (cigars, cigarettes, pipe), even if you just took a puff? (%)

7. Prevalence of pupils who tried/experimented with tobacco use (%) Comparative data: (1) Romania, 2009, 7th and 8th grades, sub-sample of pupils aged (GYTS), (2) MS-HR-CV Counties, 7th and 8th sub-sample of pupils aged

8. Tobacco type pupils experimented with (%)

9. Rate of pupils who experimented with tobacco use according to basic variables (%).N
Yes No
County
Mureș
600
46,4
53,6
Harghita
367
54,4
45,6
Covasna
233
41,6
58,4
Settlement size
Under 5 thousand inhabitants
439
48,4
51,6
From 5 to 30 thousand inhabitants
408
42,6
57,4
Above 30 thousand inhabitants
353
Grade
7th grade
618
45,4
54,6
8th grade
582
50,7
49,3
Language of instruction
Romanian
519
39,4
60,6
Hungarian
681
54,5
45,5
Sex
Boy
594
49,0
51,0
Girl
606
46,9
53,1
Total
1200
47,9
52,1

10. How old were you when you tried smoking, took the first puff
How old were you when you tried smoking, took the first puff? Average age according to basic variables.
Average age (years) N
County
Mureș
12,0
260
Harghita
11,5
191
Covasna
11,6 88
Settlement size
Under 5 thousand inhabitants
11,4
199
From 5 to 30 thousand inhabitants
11,7
159
Above 30 thousand inhabitants
181
Grade
7th grade
11,2
256
8th grade
12,2
283
Language of instruction
Romanian
192
Hungarian
11,8
346
Sex
Boy
273
Girl
266
Total
538

11. Do you smoke (have you smoked in the last 30 days)? (%)

12. Those who have smoked in the last 30 days
Those who have smoked in the last 30 days. (%) Comparative data: (1) Romania, 2009, 7th and 8th grades, sub-sample of pupils aged (GYTS), (2) MS-HR-CV Counties, 7th and 8th sub-sample of pupils aged

13. Percent of those who smoke in the present according to basic variables (%).
Yes No
County
Mureș
600
12,0
88,0
Harghita
367
17,2
82,8
Covasna
233
7,7
92,3
Settlement size
Under 5 thousand inhabitants
439
15,3
84,7
From 5 to 30 thousand inhabitants
408
9,7
90,3
Above 30 thousand inhabitants
353
13,0
87,0
Grade
7th grade
618
12,2
87,8
8th grade
582
13,3
86,7
Language of instruction
Romanian
519
9,3
90,7
Hungarian
681
15,4
84,6
Sex
Boy
594
13,7
86,3
Girl
606
11,8
88,2
Total
1200
12,7
87,3

14. How frequently pupils smoke (now or in the past) (%)

15. Frequency of tobacco use according to basic variables
Never smoked
Tried smoking only once
Smoked or smokes occasionally (less than 1 cigarette a day)
Was or is regular smoker (more than 1 cigarette a day)
County
Mureș
600
53,6
29,4
10,8
6,3
Harghita
367
45,6
33,4
14,5
6,5
Covasna
233
58,4
30,5
7,1
4,0
Settlement size
Under 5 thousand inhabitants
439
51,6
30,2
7,3
From 5 to 30 thousand inhabitants
408
57,4
27,9
10,6
4,1
Above 30 thousand inhabitants
353
46,4
35,0
12,5
6,1
Grade
7th grade
618
54,6
5,3
8th grade
582
49,3
32,3
11,9
Language of instruction
Romanian
519
60,6
25,5
9,7
4,2
Hungarian
681
45,5
34,9
12,4
7,2
Sex
Boy
594
51,0
30,3
11,3
7,5
Girl
606
53,1
31,4
11,1
4,4
Total
1200
52,1
30,8
11,2
5,9

16. Passive smokers
46% of pupils report that others smoke in their presence at home, in the dwelling. The situation is more prevalent in small settlements.
Being exposed to cigarette smoke is more intense outside the home. 63% of respondents report that it happened that someone smoked in their presence in public places in the week prior to the research.

17. In how many days in the last 7 days it had happened that someone smoked in your presence at home, in the dwelling? (%)

18. Exposed to smoke at home, in the dwelling (%) Comparative: data (1) Romania, 2009, 7th and 8th grades, sub-sample of pupils aged (GYTS), (2) MS-HR-CV Counties, 7th and 8th sub-sample of pupils aged

19. Exposed to smoke at home, in the dwelling according to basic variables (%)
Never
1-4 days
5-7 days
County
Mureș
550
54,6
14,2
31,2
Harghita
353
52,3
14,9
32,8
Covasna
228
51,4
19,2
29,4
Settlement size
Under 5 thousand inhabitants
403
43,3
19,6
37,2
From 5 to 30 thousand inhabitants
384
55,0
16,6
28,4
Above 30 thousand inhabitants
344
63,0
9,2
27,8
Grade
7th grade
577
51,0
16,7
32,3
8th grade
553
55,5
14,1
30,4
Language of instruction
Romanian
470
52,7
13,4
33,8
Hungarian
660
53,6
16,8
29,6
Sex
Boy
545
57,2
15,4
27,4
Girl
586
49,5
35,0
Total
1131
53,2
31,3

20. In how many days in the last 7 days it had happened that someone smoked in your presence anywhere else apart from your home? (%)

21. Exposed to smoke apart form their dwelling (%) Comparative data : 1) Romania, 2009, 7th and 8th grades, sub-sample of pupils aged (GYTS), (2) MS-HR-CV Counties, 7th and 8th sub-sample of pupils aged

22. Exposed to smoke anywhere else apart from their home according to basic variables. (%)
Never
1-4 days
5-7 days
County
Mureș
524
41,0
33,1
25,9
Harghita
349
30,1
38,5
31,4
Covasna
222
38,6
35,6
25,7
Settlement size
Under 5 thousand inhabitants
390
32,9
32,4
34,7
From 5 to 30 thousand inhabitants
366
38,0
39,8
22,2
Above 30 thousand inhabitants
338
40,8
33,9
25,3
Grade
7th grade
554
38,9
33,3
27,8
8th grade
541
35,1
37,5
27,4
Language of instruction
Romanian
441
49,0
29,4
21,6
Hungarian
654
29,0
39,4
31,7
Sex
Boy
535
37,2
35,9
26,9
Girl
560
36,9
34,8
28,3
Total
1095
37,0
35,4
27,6