Predictors of smoking prevalence among New York Latino youth.
BACKGROUND
We examined prevalence rates and risk factors for smoking among Latino adolescents, using a multiethnic sample of sixth- and seventh-grade students (n = 3129) in 47 New York City public and parochial schools.


METHODS
The students completed questionnaires; self-reported smoking data were collected by means of the "bogus pipeline" technique. The largest group of Latino students (43%) was Puerto Rican; 20% were of Dominican background, 7% were Colombian, and 7% were Ecuadorian. "Current smoking" was defined as smoking at least once per month.


RESULTS
A series of logistic regression analyses indicated that peer influence was the strongest predictor of smoking. Family influence was important as well.


CONCLUSIONS
The results are discussed in terms of their implications for prevention.
Dusenbury
L
L
Department of Public Health, Cornell University Medical College, New York, NY 10021.
Kerner
J F
JF
Baker
E
E
Botvin
G
G
James-Ortiz
S
S
Zauber
A
A
D000293:Adolescent; D000367:Age Factors; D001294:Attitude to Health / Q000208:ethnology; D002648:Child; D004522:Educational Status; D005190:Family; D005260:Female; D006630:Hispanic or Latino / Q000145:classification / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D009519:New York City / Q000453:epidemiology; D010379:Peer Group; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D012737:Sex Factors; D012907:Smoking / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000208:ethnology / Q000523:psychology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires