[Factors contributing to smoking among students in Ouagadougou (Burkina Faso)]. / Facteurs favorisant le tabagisme des élèves à Ouagadougou (Burkina Faso).

ABSTRACT

INTRODUCTION: Smoking is of great concern to the international community because of the sharp increase in tobacco consumption among adolescents. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We conducted a transverse descriptive study on 23 to 27 May 2006, on a sample of 500 smoking students randomly selected from secondary schools in the city of Ouagadougou, to identify their motivation with the aim of prevention. RESULTS: The main factors encouraging smoking among students were *Economic conditions 64% came from a favourable economic environment with daily pocket money (100%) and a means of travel (74.8%). *Difficulties with their studies 57.2% of smoking students had repeated at least one class and half had a class average lower than 10/20. *A smoking environment 72% of smokers lived away from their parents, 46% of students had smoked in imitation of their colleagues. School was the preferred place for the consumption of cigarettes (67.9%). *The influence of the media 80.8% were drawn into smoking by the influence of advertising. CONCLUSION: Prevention programmes must take all these factors into account.