Social Factors Influencing Tobacco Consumption Among Adolescents in Ikot Ekpene, Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria

The study examined social factors influencing tobacco consumption among adolescence in Ikot Ekpene, Akwa Ibom State. Specially, the study examined the role of family and peer group members on tobacco consumption among adolescence in Ikot Ekpene. The study adopted survey research design. The population of the study (2245) covered three most populated secondary schools where most of the adolescents were found in cluster for easy sampling. Taro Yamane formula was used to select 340 sample size. The researcher adopted judgmental and cluster sampling techniques, while questionnaire was the major instrument for data collection. The data were analyzed with descriptive statistics such as mean, frequency and percentage. The Hypotheses were tested with a multiple regression model. The descriptive statistics revealed that intake of tobacco products by parents and older siblings, tobacco products availability, exposure in the family and family orientation on consumption structure were the major family conditions that triggered adolescent tobacco consumption in Ikot Ekpene. Also, consumption of tobacco by classmates and gender; consumption of tobacco products by friends in school and consumption of tobacco products by age grade and peer group indices affect adolescence tobacco consumption in Ikot Ekpene. The study recommended that parents and guardians of adolescence should not indulge in tobacco consumption before their children and wards. This will help to streamline adolescence tobacco consumption.