Factors associated with the use of waterpipe and other tobacco products among students, Brazil, 2015.

OBJECTIVE: To identify the frequency and factors associated with the use of waterpipe and other tobacco products among Brazilian students.

METHODS: This is a cross-sectional study based on data from the National Adolescent Student Health Survey. The sample consisted of 9th-grade students from elementary school. We conducted a descriptive analysis of the use of tobacco products in 2012 and 2015. To explore the relationship between the use of other tobacco products and factors such as sociodemographic characteristics, family, mental health, and life habits, we calculated the adjusted odds ratio.

RESULTS: The use of other tobacco products increased from 4.8% (95%CI 4.6 - 5.0) in 2012 to 6.1% (95%CI 5.7 - 6.4) in 2015, with a higher proportion among boys. Waterpipe was the most commonly used product in 2015 (71.6%; 95%CI 68.8 - 74.2), especially among girls. Factors positively associated with the use of other tobacco products were: attending private school, living with father/mother, working, not having friends, suffering domestic violence, skipping classes, consuming cigarettes and alcohol, experimenting drug, having had sex, having smoker parents or guardians, and seeing people smoking. The protective factors were: female gender, increasing age, multiracial or indigenous people, having meals with a guardian, family supervision, and practicing physical activity.

CONCLUSION: The use of other tobacco products was high and has been increasing in recent years, particularly waterpipe. It is important to raise awareness of the risks and monitor the use of these products, as well as improve public policies of tobacco control in the country.