PSYCHO-SOCIAL IMPACT OF CIGARETTE SMOKING AMONG SENIOR SECONDARY SCHOOL PUPILS IN TARABA STATE, NIGERIA

PSYCHO-SOCIAL IMPACT OF CIGARETTE SMOKING AMONG SENIOR SECONDARY SCHOOL PUPILS IN TARABA STATE, NIGERIA  

 

ABSTRACT

The purpose of this study was to assess the Psycho-Social Influence of Cigarette Smoking among Senior Secondary School Students, the specific objective of the study are Sociological influence of cigarette smoking among Senior Secondary School Students and the Psychological influence of Cigarette Smoking among Senior Secondary School Students in Taraba State, Nigeria. To achieve this purpose, ex-pot-facto research design was considered suitable for this study. The population for this study comprises of senior secondary school students in Taraba state. The sample size for this study was 364 students questionnaire. A multi – stage sampling procedure was used to draw the respondents from Senior Secondary School students in three existing senatorial zones. The instrument used for this study was a researcher developed questionnaire. Three hundred and sixty-four (364) copies of questionnaire were distributed to the respondents while three hundred and fifty eight (358), (98.6%) were dully retrieved. Descriptive statistics of frequency and percentage, mean and standard deviation were used in analyzing and presenting the results. One-sample t-test and analysis of variance (ANOVA) were used. The results of the study revealed that, there is sociological influence (lifestyle, environment, and peer group) of cigarette smoking among senior secondary school students in Taraba state, Nigeria with a t-value of 142.680, (p-0.000); also there is psychological influence (worries, frustration, anger and anxiety) about cigarette smoking among senior secondary school students in Taraba state, Nigeria. On the basis of these research findings, the following conclusions were drawn that, there is sociological influence (environment, lifestyle, peer group) on cigarette smoking among senior secondary school students in Taraba State, Nigeria.  Psychological influence (Anger, depression frustration and anxiety) about cigarette smoking also exists among senior secondary school students in Taraba State. On the basis of the conclusions drawn, the researcher recommended that, Sociologists, Health counselors and Health Educators should carry out enlightenment programme on the menace of cigarette smoking among students and School principals in collaboration with psychologists in the secondary schools should educate students to desist from cigarette smoking in curbing anger and depression.

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background to the Study

Tobacco is one of the most important public health problems worldwide. Particularly, in developing countries it has been reported that among all risk factors, smoking is the fourth leading cause of diseases, (Nwosu, 2013). The use of tobacco and its product have gradually increased in the developing countries because of its legal use and easy access (Becker, 2014). Smoking among adolescents is one of the main concerns for public health system. Despite, a fall in the amount of smoking in recent years, the National Demographic Health Survey (NDHS), (2014), estimated 1.3 billion smokers worldwide and it is estimated that this number will reach 1.7 billion by the year 2025, if no intervention is performed. Half of the individuals, who begin smoking and keep it up on a regular basis, die as a result of smoking. According to the data released by world Health Organization (WHO) (2012), it has been estimated that 10 million people (70%) in developing countries, will die due to smoking in the year 2020 if the necessary precautions are not taken. Also, a person especially young person losing their life because of cigarette smoking related health problems every second. It has been reported that there is an increase of smoking, especially among young adults, women and adolescents in developing countries.

Approximately, 70% of smokers want to stop smoking. However, few succeed,

and, of those that do, most require five to seven attempts before definitively dropping the habit. Nicotine dependence is a complex disorder and is difficult to overcome. Motivation to kick the habit is one of the most important factors in smoking cessation and is interrelated to a variety of hereditary, physiological, environmental, and psychological variables. A significant number of senior secondary school students are pulling themselves and others at risk for serious health consequences because of cigarette smoking, and the magnitude of these consequences is enormous. Smoking is the number one preventable illness behaviour in the nation, resulting in more deaths each year than AIDS, Alcohol, cocaine, heroine, homicide, suicide, motor vehicle crashes and fire combined (USDHHS, 2010).

Smoking has a linked to lung, kidney, bladder, laryngeal, oral, esophageal, and pancreatic cancer, cardiovascular diseases, chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases, and stroke in both male and female (Samet, 2011). Female smokers have an increase risk of infertility, delayed conception, ectopic pregnancy, and spontaneous abortions when compared with non-smokers. In addition to motivation, the smoker will have to confront a few factors amongst which are: the intensity of the withdrawal syndrome is one of the principal contributing causes for maintaining the habit. The symptoms vary in intensity among people, and generally start within hours after the interruption, increasing in the first twelve hours and peaking on the third day. Discomfort increase at early night, and the most significant complaints refer to increase compulsivity, irritability, anxiety, difficult in concentrating, agitation, and a sensation of sleeplessness or dullness, as well as hostility reactions.

Penderson, (2010), described Psycho-social influence as how we see, live and experiences in regard to cigarette smoking. However, children that grow up in families with violence, negative behaviours, sexual, anger dietary deprivation, drug abuse, parental problems, and physical or emotional abuse are more likely to have problems to deal with life. There are also other parts of the external factors, like the environment you live in, things like constant stress and pressure can cause big problems. If a person lives in a place where they are exposed to drugs, crime, violent acts, cigarette smoking, it tend to influence on their lifestyle patterns (Annette, 2012).

Peer group and parenting influence are predictors of smoking in adolescence. The impact of family background and social environment are mostly considered to influence on students involvement in terms of cigarette smoking. It is obvious that when an individual live in an environment where cigarette smoking is allowed. He/she is liable to imitate such characters. Also, if a family background of a person correlates with cigarette smoking when the parents smoke; he/she will emulate such characters.

The impact of smoking cigarette and other tobacco use on the spread of chronic diseases, which account for 75% of African spending on health care which is welldocumented and undeniable (NHDS, 2013). One-half of adult smokers die prematurely from tobacco-related diseases (Haruna, 2014). Despite continuous public enlighten programs to reduce youth smoking and several media stories on the dangers of tobacco use, generation after generation continues to use these lives threatening product and family after the family continues to suffer the devastating consequences. Nearly most cigarette smokers begin in childhood and adolescent stages/period.

Cigarette is the only legal consumer products in the world that cause one-half of their long term users to die prematurely (Fagerstom, 2012). As this epidemic continues to take its toll in the developing countries, it is also decreasing in low and middle income states that are least able to afford the resulting health and economic consequences (Peto,

2015).  Tobacco increases in the developing countries up to 5.4% per annum, which makes it most important available risk for non-communicable diseases (NCDs) such as cancers, lung diseases, and cardio-vascular diseases, (Sing, 2012). (Tyas and Pederson, 2010) emphasize the need for a multi-faceted approach to understanding and preventing adolescent smoking (Collins and Ellickson, 2014). Multiple level of influence from cultural and social variables to individual factors, have been shown to associate with it. One such variable is smoking in the adolescent`s family context, and peer group influence in the initiation of cigarette smoking. Therefore, the researcher aimed at assessing the psycho-social influence of smoking cigarette among senior secondary school students in Taraba State, Nigeria.

1.2 Statement of the Problem

Cigarette smoking contributed to school drop-out, among senior secondary school students. Smoking cigarette retards the learning capacity of students, and amounted to chronic health problems, premature deaths, and anti-social behaviour or deviant behaviour in school: for instance, stealing in school, premature sex, prostitution, truancy and habitual lateness, disobedience to school rules and regulations. There is a chronic illness such as, cardiovascular, respiratory and periodontal diseases, cancers of oral cavity and all forms of cancers among secondary school students in Taraba state. This was buttressed by National Demographic Health Survey (NDHS) (2015), on the report of high rate of cancer and coronary heart diseases (CHD) among adolescents in Taraba State based on the data collected on surveillance. However, it has been observed that cigarette smoking has a very strong influence on student‘s social behaviour. Students lifestyles remain an important determinant to their behaviour; thus, negative social behaviour like cultism, lack of respect to school rules and regulations, drug abuse, drinking of alcohol, gangsterism and examination malpractice have been on the increase recently, observed by the researcher. This study was to assessed the psycho-social influence of cigarette smoking among senior secondary school students in Taraba State, Nigeria.

1.3Purpose of the Study

The purpose of this study is to assess:

1. The sociological influence of cigarette smoking among senior secondary school students in Taraba State.
2. The psychological influence of cigarette smoking among senior secondary school students in Taraba state, Nigeria.
3. Whether senior secondary school students in Taraba State of different senatorial zones differ in sociological influence of cigarette smoking.
4. Whether senior secondary school students in Taraba State, Nigeria differ in psychological influence of cigarette smoking.

1.4 Research Questions

The study sought to provide answers to the following research questions.

1. What is the sociological influence of cigarette smoking among senior secondary school students in Taraba State, Nigeria?
2. What is the psychological influence of cigarette smoking among senior secondary school students in Taraba State, Nigeria?
3. Do senior secondary school students, in their sociological influence of cigarette smoking in Taraba state, Nigeria?
4. Do senior secondary school students in Taraba State, Nigeria of different senatorial zones differ in their psychological influence of cigarette smoking?

1.5 Research Hypotheses

The following hypotheses were formulated to guide the study:

1. There is no significant differences in Sociological influence of cigarette smoking among senior secondary school students in Taraba State, Nigeria.
2. There is no significant difference in Psychological influence of cigarette smoking among senior secondary school students in Taraba State, Nigeria.
3. There is no significant difference among senior secondary school students of different senatorial zones in their sociological influence of cigarette smoking in Taraba state, Nigeria.
4. There is no significant difference among senior secondary school students of different senatorial zones in their psychological influence of cigarette smoking in

Taraba state, Nigeria.

1.6 Significance of the Study

The finding of this study will benefit secondary school students in the following ways:

Increase the knowledge of students about the health risk of cigarette smoking through health talks and intervention programmes. Help the school teacher and principal in tackling the various loopholes that were contributing to cigarette smoking of students through health record book, and physical fitness test, thereby controlling the menace of cigarette smoking in schools. It will help the curriculum planners in planning for drug and alcoholic education as a core subject in schools especially in senior secondary schools. The findings of this study will be of benefit to policy makers, as an essential step towards enacting policy that quite or tackle the issue of cigarette smoking in schools and premature smoking age, which in turns serve as standing order in the country.

1.7 Basic Assumptions

            On the basis of the study, the following assumptions were made;

• Sociological social health has influence on cigarette smoking among senior secondary school students on Taraba State.
• Psychological health has influence on cigarette smoking among senior secondary school students in Taraba State.
• Sociological influences of cigarette smoking differ between the three senatorial zones in Taraba State, Nigeria.
• Psychological influences of cigarette smoking differ in between the three senatorial zones in Taraba State.

1.7 Delimitation of the Study

This study is delimited to, psycho-social influence of smoking cigarette among senior secondary school students in Taraba State, Nigeria.

The study is also delimited to:

• The sociological determinants of smoking cigarette among senior secondary school students in Taraba State.
• The psychological influence of smoking cigarette among senior secondary school students in Taraba State.
• All secondary school students in Taraba State.

PSYCHO-SOCIAL IMPACT OF CIGARETTE SMOKING AMONG SENIOR SECONDARY SCHOOL PUPILS IN TARABA STATE, NIGERIA  

Sharing is caring!