Prevalence of Smoking and Alcohol Drinking Among 15-20-Year-Olds in Northwest Russia

Introduction: Poor health of adolescents and young adults in Russia is a substantial public health problem contributing to the current demographic crisis and threatening national security. More and more youngsters begin to smoke and drink early, although the evidence on the prevalence of smoking and alcohol consumption in this age group is limited.

Aims:  To assess the prevalence of, age of initiation and urban-rural variations in smoking and alcohol drinking among young people in one of the largest Russian regions - the Arkhangelsk Region.

Methods: Altogether, 1462 youngsters aged 15-20 years (46% boys) participated in a questionnaire-based cross-sectional study. Data on current smoking status, alcohol consumption, age of initiation of both habits and place were collected. Categorical variables were analyzed using Pearson’s chi-squared test.

Results: Altogether, 71.7% girls vs. 81.5% of boys smoked at least once (p<0.001). Young boys begin to smoke earlier than girls (city: p<0,001, rural location: p<0, 01). The proportion of daily smokers ranged from 35.5% to 47.2% among girls at different ages and from 45.7% to 57.0% among boys at different ages. A total of 77.7% girls and 80.9% boys had experienced alcohol consumption (p>0.05). Boys start drinking alcohol earlier than girls in both urban (p<0.001) and rural settings (p<0.01). By age, the proportion of regular alcohol drinkers varied from 48.3% to 69.1% among girls and from 57.5% to 71.7% among boys.

Conclusion: Smoking and alcohol consumption are extremely prevalent among Russian youngsters in the study area representing a serious threat to health of the younger generation in Russia. Smoking and drinking patterns varied between genders, but not between urban and rural settings. Urgent preventive measures are warranted.