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).
Keywords;Age, smoking, nicotine dependence and Fagerström Test.