The relationship between the smoker age,the age of initiationof smoking and Fagerström Test for nicotine dependence among male Sudanese smokers

Abstract

Abstract: Objective:The aim of this study was to determine the relationship between smoker’s age,the age of initiation of smoking and Fagerström Test for nicotine dependence (FTND) among male Sudanese smokers. Methodology:This is a prospective cross-sectional survey. We enrolled fifty-five adult participants in the study at smoking cessation centerof Alshaab institute of cardio-pulmonary diseases in Khartoum, Sudan in the period from August to December 2015 after taking their informed written consent.Fagerström Test for Nicotine Dependence (FTND) was recorded. A score of (0-2) was defined as very low, (3-4) as low, (5) as moderate, (6-7) as high and score of (8-10) as very high. The relationship between the smoker age, the age of initiation of smoking and FTND we analyzed using the International Business Machines statistical package for social science (IBM-SPSS version 22). Results:All participantswere males (n=55). The mean age at initiation of regular smoking was 20 years. Around 31% of the participants started smoking before 11years, 36.4% between (11-20 years) and21.8 % between (21- 30 years) whileonly 11% started smoking after 30 years. According to FTND,we found very high nicotine dependence in 30.9%, high in 23.6%, moderate in 7.3%, low in 14.5% and very lowin 23.6% of the participants.All elderly participants had high and very high nicotine dependence. Conclusion:Initiating smoking at an early agewas associated with low nicotine dependence and the older participant had significantly high nicotine dependence (P values= 0.001 &0.002 respectively).