Tobacco use associations with multi-dimensional adverse health outcomes among in-school adolescents in four Caribbean countries

ABSTRACT

The aim of the study was to assess tobacco use associations with multi-dimensional adverse health outcomes among adolescents in four Caribbean countries. Cross-sectional national adolescent school survey data (N = 9,143, median age 15 years) from Suriname, Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago, and the Dominican Republic in 2016–2017 were analysed. Results show that 13.5% of participants were current tobacco users. Tobacco consumption increased the odds of multi-dimensional adverse health outcomes, including six inadequate mental health indicators, nine health risk behaviours, and five social-environmental outcomes. Tobacco use prevention should address the multi-dimensional adverse health outcomes.

KEYWORDS:

• Adverse health outcomes
• tobacco use
• adolescents

Acknowledgments

“This paper uses data from the Global School-Based Student Health Survey (GSHS). GSHS is supported by the World Health Organization and the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention”.

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No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

The author(s) reported there is no funding associated with the work featured in this article.