Prevalence and predictors of susceptibility and future intention to smoke cigarettes among school-going adolescents in Ibadan, Nigeria

Introduction

the tobacco control interventions targeted at preventing the initiation of tobacco habits are crucial to effective control of tobacco use among adolescents. An understanding of the predictors of smoking susceptibility and future intention to smoke is important in developing effective intervention programmes. This study, therefore, assessed the prevalence and predictors of susceptibility and future intention to smoke cigarettes among school-going adolescents in Ibadan, Nigeria.

Methods

a cross-sectional study among 830 school-going, non-smoking adolescents, who were randomly selected from 18 secondary schools in Ibadan, Nigeria. Using a self-administered, structured questionnaire, information on socio-demography, tobacco attitudes and habits were collected and analyzed using SPSS version 25.

Results

the prevalence of susceptibility and future intention to smoke cigarette were 25.9% and 6.3%, respectively. Predictors of susceptibility were low social-class (aOR:1.68; 95%CI:1.01-2.80); cigarette sale near schools (aOR:2.04; 95%CI:1.16-3.61); poor attitude (aOR:1.93; 95%CI:1.29-2.89); no harm-perception to smoking (aOR:3.55; 95%CI:2.13-5.92), exposure to secondhand smoke (SHS) (aOR:2.31; 95%CI:1.52-3.50) and perceived safety of short-term smoking (aOR:1.59; 95%CI:1.02-2.44). Predictors of future intention to smoke were: ever-tobacco smoking (aOR:2.05; 95%CI:1.003-4.170); cigarette sale near schools (aOR:1.79; 95%CI:1.09-2.94); poor attitude (aOR:1.95; 95%CI:1.31-2.88), no harm perception to smoking (aOR:3.87; 95%CI:2.38-6.31), exposure to SHS (aOR:2.45; 95%CI:1.64-3.67) and perceived safety of short-term smoking (aOR:1.59; 95%CI:1.05-2.44).

Conclusion

a significant proportion of the population had high susceptibility to smoke as well as high future intention to smoke. Sales of cigarettes near schools, poor attitude and poor perception about the harm from smoking and exposure to SHS were important predictors of both susceptibility and future intention to smoke among respondents.

School policies and smoking intention in a Swiss sample of adolescents

The majority of today's adult smokers took up the habit during adolescence. The school community and the rules it imposes are important factors that can influence adolescents' smoking intention and behaviour. Research on the effect of school tobacco policies on adolescents' smoking concludes with mixed results. Our study aims to look at the influence of these policies on the intention to smoke and to know if this relation is mediated by individual and environmental factors. The study includes information on social norms, attitude towards smoking and smoking intention from 4515 students of 32 Ticino middle schools and on the tobacco policy implemented in this school. Linear regression indicates a marginal impact of school policy on intention to smoke. Schools that strongly enforce tobacco policy obtain an increase in their students' intention to smoke, while schools that implement assistance programmes to overcome tobacco use decrease intention to smoke. Mediation models show that the influence of some of tobacco policy dimensions on the intention to smoke is mediated by personal attitudes towards smoking, beliefs about health consequences of smoking and perceived peers smoking. Increasing visibility of tobacco policies and having tobacco prevention programmes have stronger positive effects on smoking intention than other policy dimensions, but only through the mediation of individual and environmental factors.

Personal and Family Factors Associated With High-risk Behaviours Among Adolescents in Malaysia

PURPOSE

The objective of this study was to investigate the relationships between high-risk behaviours and personal and family factors among adolescents in Malaysia.

METHODS

A nationwide data set was examined for this secondary data analysis. The dependent variable was the degree of risk, which was measured based on the number of high-risk behaviours in which adolescents participated. Age, gender, ethnicity, self-rated academic performance, family size, parental marital status and parental academic attainment were included as independent variables. Analyses stratified by educational level were conducted. Odds ratios (ORs) were calculated using ordered logit.

RESULTS

The most common high-risk behaviour among Malaysian adolescents was physical inactivity (35.97%), followed by smoking (13.27%) and alcohol consumption (4.45%). The majority of adolescents had low risks (52.93%), while only a small proportion had high risks (6.08%). Older age was associated with increased odds of having high risks (OR: 1.26). Male adolescents had higher odds of being in a high-risk category compared to female adolescents (OR: 1.28). Compared to Malays, Chinese adolescents had higher odds of being in a high-risk category (OR: 1.71), whereas Indian adolescents had lower odds (OR: 0.65). Excellent academic performance was associated with reduced odds of participating in high-risk behaviours (OR: 0.41).

CONCLUSION

Personal factors are important determinants of high-risk behaviours. This study provides a better understanding of those adolescent groups that are at greater risk.

PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS

An intervention directed towards reducing participation in high-risk behaviours among adolescents who have both poor academic performance and less-educated parents may yield promising outcomes.

Factors Associated With Smoking Intentions Among Chinese College Students

Smoking intention is a strong predictor of future smoking behavior. The aim of this study is to identify the significant factors associated with smoking intention among Chinese college students. A total of 2,827 students in Eastern, Middle, and Western regions of China, randomly selected using a multistage sampling method, completed the self-administered questionnaires. The association of independent variables with smoking intention was evaluated using the logistic regression model. Overall, the proportion of college students with a strong smoking intention was 6.9%. Male students (odds ratio [OR] 2.205, 95% confidence interval [CI] [1.374, 3.538]), those students whose mothers smoked (OR 3.328, 95% CI [1.527, 7.252]), those whose mothers had a higher educational level (OR 0.583, 95% CI [0.346, 0.984]), current smokers (OR 14.081, 95% CI [9.306, 21.307]), former smokers (OR 3.824, 95% CI [1.728, 8.463]), and those for whom most (OR 2.663, 95% CI [1.348, 5.261]) or a few (OR 1.826, 95% CI [1.045, 3.191]) of their closest friends were smokers had statistically significant associations with the smoking intentions of Chinese college students. Further studies are needed to elucidate mechanisms and pathways across various factors, and these factors should be incorporated into future multilevel interventions designed to decrease smoking intention among college students.

Source of cigarettes among youth smokers in Malaysia: Findings from the tobacco and e-cigarette survey among Malaysian school adolescents (TECMA)

INTRODUCTION

Understanding how and where youth obtain tobacco products are major factors in the development of suitable intervention programs to reduce youth smoking. This study aimed to determine the source of cigarettes and the associated factors among Malaysian school adolescent smokers.

METHODS

Our sample consisted of 1348 youth aged 10-17 years who were current smokers (having smoked at least once in the last 30 days). The source of cigarettes (commercial, over-the-counter purchases; or social, borrowing or obtaining from someone else) was the dependent variable, and multivariable logistic regression was employed to determine its association with independent variables (i.e. sociodemographics, smoking behavior, and knowledge of laws prohibiting sales of cigarettes to youth).

RESULTS

Over half (54.3%) of current smokers obtained cigarettes from commercial sources, with a proportion nearly two times higher (84.2% vs 43.7%) among frequent smokers (i.e. those smoking more than 20 days per month) compared to less-frequent smokers, and among young males (56.5% vs 32.0%) compared young females. Multivariable logistic regression indicated that in urban areas, young females (AOR=12.5, 95% CI: 1.38-99.8) frequent smokers (AOR=4.41, 95% CI: 2.05-9.46), and those studying in lower (AOR=3.76, 95% CI: 1.41-10.02) and upper secondary (AOR=4.74, 95% CI: 1.72-13.06) school students were more likely to obtain cigarettes from a commercial source. On the other hand, in rural areas, only frequent smokers were more likely to get their cigarettes from commercial sources, whilst other variables were not significant.

CONCLUSIONS

The proportion of youth smokers who obtained cigarettes from commercial sources appeared to be high, suggesting that law enforcement and health promotion activities should be enhanced to reduce the rate of smoking among Malaysian youth.

The relationship between husbands' health belief and environment tobacco smoke exposure among their pregnant wife

OBJECTIVE

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the relationship between health belief structures of men and environment tobacco smoke (ETS) exposure among pregnant women.

METHODS

This cross-sectional research was conducted on 120 smoking men who had pregnant wives. Data were gathered through a questionnaire that measured health belief structures related to pregnant women's exposure to cigarette's smoke including perceived susceptibility/severity, benefits, barriers and self-efficacy. Number of exposures to cigarette's smoke was defined by the number of smoked cigarettes in the presence of the pregnant wife.

RESULTS

The number of smoked cigarettes in the presence of pregnant wife had a negative relation with perceived susceptibility/severity and perceived benefits and a positive relation with perceived barriers. The number of smoked cigarettes in men had no relation with health belief constructs. Using multiple regression test showed the perceived barrier for not smoking was the strongest factor in men to anticipate the level of women's ETS exposure.

CONCLUSIONS

Results of this study showed that the level of ETS exposure among pregnant women was dependent on men's health beliefs about the ETS exposure treats among pregnant women.

Work-Associated Stress and Nicotine Dependence among Law Enforcement Personnel in Mangalore, India

PURPOSE

To investigate the work associated stress and nicotine dependence among law enforcement personnel in Mangalore, India.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A cross-sectional questionnaire survey was conducted among law enforcement personnel in Mangalore, India. Demographic details, stress factors experienced at work and nicotine dependency were the variables studied. The extent of stress factors experienced at work was assessed using the Effort-Reward Imbalance scale (ERI). Nicotine dependence was measured using the Fagerstrom Test for Nicotine Dependence (FTND) and the Fagerstrom Test for Nicotine Dependence-Smokeless Tobacco (FTND-ST). Logistic regression was used for the statistical analysis.

RESULTS

Three hundred and four law enforcement personnel participated in the study, among whom 68 had the presence of one or more habits like tobacco smoking, tobacco chewing and alcohol use. The mean effort score was 15.8±4.10 and the mean reward and mean overcommitment scores were 36.4±7.09 and 17.8±5.32 respectively. Effort/Reward ratio for the total participants was 1.0073 and for those with nicotine habit was 1.0850. Results of our study demonstrated no significant association between domains of ERI scale and presence of habits but work associated stress was associated with the presence of one or more habits. Compared to constables, head constables had 1.12 times higher risk of having a nicotine habit.

CONCLUSIONS

Our study implies job designation is associated with nicotine habits. However, there was no association between work associated stress and nicotine dependence among law enforcement personnel in Mangalore.

Relationships between Body Image, Body Mass Index, and Smoking in Korean Adolescents: Results of a Nationwide Korea Youth Risk Behavior Web-based Survey

OBJECTIVE

This study assessed the association between subjective body image or objective body mass index (BMI) and the risk of daily smoking in Korean adolescents, with a purpose of identifying the most suitable models.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Using the 2013 9th Korea Youth Risk Behavior Web-based Survey data for 72,435 students, odds ratios were calculated for daily smoking in the past month, according to the subjective body image and calculated BMI using a respective multiple logistic regression model. The combined effect of these two factors was also analyzed by pairing a BMI category with a subjective body image category, using odds ratios for the same event within each sex group.

RESULTS

Among the surveyed students, 7.2% of boys and 1.8% of girls were classified as daily smokers. Students who perceived themselves as being very obese tended to be at lower risk of daily smoking (OR=0.61 in boys with 95% CI=0.47 to 0.79; OR=0.66 in women with 95% CI=0.47 to 0.93). In addition, boys within the obese or overweight BMI category showed a lower risk of daily smoking (OR=0.86, 95% CI: 0.77-0.96). Lean BMI was significantly associated with higher odds ratios for daily smoking only in female students (OR=1.24, 95% CI: 1.02-1.52). When pairing these two objective and subjective factors, results suggested that subjective body image has a greater effect on daily smoking than BMI in both boys and girls.

CONCLUSIONS

In both male and female students, subjective body image had a greater effect on daily smoking than body mass index. A model using the combination of BMI and subjective body image was the best fit in girls, in contrast to the model using subjective body image only best suitable in boys, for the prediction of daily smoking. These results including several factors associated with daily smoking in Korean students, provide useful data for the development and implementation of smoking intervention and cessation programs for adolescents.

Happiness and health behaviors in South Korean adolescents: a cross-sectional study

OBJECTIVES:

We examined the associations between happiness and a wide range of health behaviors in South Korean adolescents.

METHODS:

Study data were derived from the ninth Korea Youth Risk Behavior Web-based Survey administered from June to July 2013. In addition to happiness levels, the questionnaire included items on sociodemographics and health-related lifestyle factors (smoking, drinking, eating breakfast, fruit and vegetable consumption, physical activity, sedentary behavior, and hours of sleep).

RESULTS:

The multivariate analysis revealed that higher levels of happiness were associated with not smoking or drinking, eating breakfast, eating fruits daily, vegetable consumption, participating in at least 60 minutes of physical activity a day, avoiding sedentary behavior, and hours of sleep. Additionally, sex differences were found in relationships between happiness and eating fruit daily, participation in physical activity, and sedentary behavior.

CONCLUSIONS:

These results encourage public health professionals to consider the psychological aspects of adolescent life in working to improve their health behaviors and outcomes.