Sammanfattning
During the last decade, the prevalence of cigarette smoking in Norway has declined, whereas the use of snus has increased. The present study aims to investigate the use of snus among a subpopulation of young Norwegian students and to assess factors motivating recruitment, openness related to snus behavior, and level of knowledge of oral and general health problems related to snus.
A questionnaire with 22 questions was distributed to 635 students, aged 15 years, at nine schools in two municipalities in Western Norway. Participation was voluntary and the students were free not to answer. Data were analysed using logistic regression analysis and a p-level < 0.05 was considered statistically significant.
Altogether 613 students, 296 males and 317 females, completed the form (96.5 % response rate). In total, 10 % reported using snus regularly (13.6 % males and 6.7 % females) and 28.5 % reported trying snus (31.5 % males and 26.0 % females). More than 57 % of the regular users reported using snus several times daily, and the «invisible slim» type was most popular among both genders. The majority of male and female masked their snus habit to friends (64.8 % and 56.2 %, respectively) and parents (80.6 % and 85.4 %, respectively). There was no association between snus usage and parents' educational level (p=0.186). Snus negatively influenced the respondents' perception of their general (p<0.001) and oral health status (p<0.001).
In this cohort of 15-year-old students, recruitment to snus had already started and use of snus was not associated with parents' educational level. This indicates that snus recruits young teenagers from other socioeconomic groups compared with cigarette smoking. Snus negatively influenced perceptions of own general and oral health in both males and females teenagers.