ABSTRACT
Background
The aim of the study was to provide estimates on associations between tobacco use and mental morbidity and health risk behaviors among adolescents in Liberia and Mauritius.
Methods
Cross-sectional and national school health survey data were analyzed from adolescents (median age, 17 years) in Liberia and Mauritius in 2017.
Results
Overall, 17.8% of the students reported current tobacco use. In the final logistic regression model, current tobacco use was associated with five poor mental health indicators (loneliness, anxiety, suicidal ideation, suicide attempt, and suicide plan), and 12 health risk behaviors (current alcohol use, current cannabis use, lifetime amphetamine use, leisure-time sedentary behavior, fast food and soft drink, non-condom use, multiple sexual partners, non-birth control use, involvement in physical fighting, serious injury, and school truancy).
Conclusions
Interventions should include multiple comorbidities with tobacco use.
Acknowledgments
The data source, “the World Health Organization NCD Microdata Repository (URL: https://extranet.who.int/ncdsmicrodata/index.php/catalog), is hereby acknowledged.”
Disclosure statement
No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).