Fatores protetores e de risco relacionados ao uso de tabaco por adolescentes no ambiente escolar

Abstract

Smoking is a chronic problem of global importance, affecting both sexes, young and adult, from developed or developing countries. Despite this wide spread of the frequency of smoking, it is observed that dependence is greater among men and in developing countries. This research aimed to understand the risk and protection factors related to smoking among adolescent students in elementary school, as well as the perception of adolescents, parents, teachers, school staff and health professionals about smoking. Research was developed based on a mixed method and developed in two stages: 1) quantitative cross-sectional study on the use, habits and factors related to smoking initiation; degree of chemical dependence; and socioeconomic data; 2) qualitative study developed by the Focus Group technique to identify the perception of parents, students and professionals of the health unit, about the pattern of use, habits and factors of initiation to smoking among adolescents. The entire sampling process took place intentionally and for convenience in view of the Primary Health Care territory. The research was submitted to and approved by the Human Research Ethics Committee. The present study did not observe an association between drug use and socioeconomic status, however, it made it possible to understand the risk and protection factors related to smoking among adolescent elementary school students, as well as the perception of adolescents, parents, teachers, employees of school and health professionals about smoking. It was observed that the majority of smokers belong to the female gender and the factors that influence tobacco use are unstructured family relationships, the influence of friends, fashion and media influence, not differing from the majority of Brazilian adolescents. The study suggests that, at an early age of adolescence, preventive actions against the use of tobacco and other drugs are developed and recommends the application of educational and preventive measures before the beginning of adolescence by prevention programs, aiming mainly at the factors behavioral, emphasizing those that discourage the use of illicit substances. What is proposed, then, are educational practices of a dialogical nature for actions to prevent the misuse of drugs.