Objectives: To describe the characteristics of tobacco consumption among adolescents seen at a health centre, find their opinions of the factors that affect consumption, and analyse the quality of the intervention of the health staff.
Design: Descriptive, cross-sectional study of adolescents attending the health centre.
Setting: Primary care (PC).
Patients: All the young people between 10 and 20 who attended family medicine, paediatric or nursing clinics, whether on-demand or with appointments, on Tuesdays and Wednesdays between December 2000 and February 2001.
Main results: 23.1% of all the girls smoked (95% CI, 14.9-33.1) versus 15.3% of boys (95% CI, 8.4-24.7). Among non-smokers the main reason for not smoking was health (94.4%). 50% of smokers had tried to give up, of whom 70.5% tried for health-related reasons. 49.4% (95% CI, 41.8-57.1) of those included in the study had been asked at the health centre on some occasion whether they smoked (10.1% of these [95% CI, 4.2-19.8] were aged 10-13; 73.4% [95% CI, 60.9-83.7] 14-17; and 76.7% [CI 95%: 61.4-88.2] 18-20); and 50.6% had never been asked. Of those who were asked and did smoke, 75% (95% CI, 55.1-89.3) were advised to give up and 4.7% of these (95% CI, 0.1-23.8) were offered help to do so. 28.81% of those who did not smoke (95% CI, 17.8-42.1) were encouraged to continue not to smoke.
Conclusions: Both smokers and non-smokers are highly aware of the repercussions of tobacco on health. Tobacco dependency in young people was not tackled well enough at health centre clinics, especially by paediatricians.
Objetivos: Describir las características del consumo de tabaco entre los adolescentes atendidos en un centro de salud, conocer su opinión sobre los factores que influyen en el mismo y analizar la calidad de la intervención del personal sanitario.
Diseño: Estudio descriptivo, transversal realizado en adolescentes que acuden al centro de salud.
Emplazamiento: Atención primaria (AP).
Pacientes: Se seleccionó a todos los jóvenes entre 10 y 20 años que acudieron a las consultas a demanda o programadas de medicina de familia, pediatría o enfermería los martes y miércoles durante diciembre de 2000 a febrero de 2001.
Resultados principales: Globalmente fuma el 23,1% (intervalo de confianza [IC] del 95%, 14,9–33,1) de las chicas frente al 15,3% (IC del 95%, 8,4–24,7) de los chicos. Entre los no fumadores el motivo más importante para no hacerlo es la salud (94,4%). El 50% de los fumadores ha intentado dejar de fumar; de éstos el 70,5% lo ha hecho por motivos relacionados con la salud. Al 49,4% (IC del 95%, 41,8–57,1) de los incluidos en el estudio alguna vez se le ha preguntado en el centro de salud si fuma (10,1% [IC del 95%, 4,2–19,8] entre 10–13 años; 73,4% [IC del 95%, 60,9–83,7] entre 14–17, y 76,7% [IC del 95%, 61,4–88,2] entre 18–20), y al 50,6% nunca se le ha preguntado. De aquellos a los que se les ha preguntado y fuman, al 75% (IC del 95%, 55,1–89,3) se le ha indicado que lo dejen, y de éstos al 4,7% (IC del 95%, 0,1–23,8) se le ofreció ayuda para hacerlo. De los que no fuman al 28,81% (IC del 95%, 17,8–42,1) se le animó a seguir así.
Conclusiones: Existe una gran sensibilización tanto en no fumadores como en fumadores sobre las repercusiones del tabaco en la salud. Se observa un abordaje deficiente del tabaquismo en los jóvenes desde las consultas de un centro de salud, especialmente en la población pediátrica.