Volume 32, Issue 2: June, 2005

Abstract

Indian Youth Speak About Tobacco: Results of Focus Group Discussions With School Students

Arima Mishra, PhD, Monika Arora, MSc, Melissa H. Stigler, PhD, MPH, Kelli A. Komro, PhD, MPH, Leslie A. Lytle, PhD, RD, K. Srinath Reddy, MD, Cheryl L. Perry, PhD


This article discusses the findings of Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) that were conducted as a formative assessment for Project MYTRI (Mobilizing Youth for Tobacco Related Initiatives in India), a randomized, multicomponent, school-based trial to prevent and control tobacco use among youth in India. Forty-eight FGDs were conducted with students (N = 435) in sixth and eighth grades in six schools in Delhi, India. Key findings include: (a) students in government schools reported as “consumers” of tobacco, whereas students in private schools reported as “commentators”; (b) parents and peers have a strong influence on youth tobacco use; (c) chewing gutkha is considered less harmful and more accessible than smoking cigarettes; (d) schools are not promoting tobacco control activities; and (e) students were enthusiastic about the role government should play in tobacco control. These findings are being used to develop a comprehensive intervention program to prevent and control tobacco use among Indian youth.
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