Comparison of tobacco use prevalence between Panama nationwide and the Guna Yala Indigenous Territory

Aims According the Global Adult Tobacco Survey (GATS), Panama has the lowest prevalence of tobacco products consumption in the Americas (6.4%). The top subnational prevalence of tobacco products use, according to GATS, corresponds to the Guna Yala Indigenous territories (GYIT) (16.2%). In 2017, the Global Youth Tobacco Survey (GYTS) took place in Panama with national and with GYIT representativeness. We aim comparing the national tobacco products consumption with the consumption at GYIT. Methods GYTS was applied to teens aged 13-15 years attending public and private high schools. GYTS follows a standard protocol. The nationwide representative sample included 51 schools, and 2,084 respondents with 83.0% response rate. The GYIT sample included 27 schools, and 1,083 pupils with 80.3% response rate. Results National current tobacco smoking prevalence was 5.9% (p value for sex: > 0.05), and the GYIT figure was 10.7% (boys: 14.2%; girls: 7.3%, p value for sex: 0.05), and the GYIT figure was 5.7% (boys: 7.1%; girls: 4.1%, p value for sex differences: 0.05), the figure in GYIT was 5.1% (p value for sex differences: > 0.05). Conclusions GYIT tended to have a higher prevalence of tobacco products consumption compared to the national consumption. The MPOWER elements assessed in the GYTS will guide tobacco control policies to decrease the consumption of tobacco products in the youth. Funding This study is financed by public funds. Some of these public funds come from the Selective Tax on the Consumption of Cigarettes and other Tobacco Products. This tax discourages the use of tobacco products. However, the funds coming from this tax are used in activities to improve the primary and secondary prevention of tobacco-associated diseases, such as this study