title: A longitudinal study of reasons for smoking in adolescence.
abstract: This longitudinal study examined factors related to smoking at age 13 and to persistence of smoking from ages 13 to 15 years in a sample (n = 719) of New Zealand adolescents. History of smoking at 9 and 11 years predicted smoking at 13 (odds ratio = 2.8), persistence of smoking from age 13 to 15 (OR = 2.4) and smoking at 15 among those not smoking at age 13 (OR = 2.4). While there were no significant sex differences in pre-adolescent and early adolescent smoking, by age 15 more girls than boys reported smoking. A concern with the immediate negative effects of smoking (taste, smell, feeling ill and feeling silly) as a reason for not smoking at age 13 was inversely related to smoking at age 15 (OR = 0.4). Reasons for smoking at age 13 were not associated with later smoking. Family disadvantage and use of alcohol and other drugs were also associated with later adolescent smoking.
authors.affiliation: Hugh Adam Cancer Epidemiology Unit, Department of Preventive and Social Medicine, Medical School, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: McGee
authors.forename: W R
authors.initials: WR
authors.lastname: Stanton
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000294:Adolescent Behavior; D000367:Age Factors; D001294:Attitude to Health; D001315:Australia / Q000453:epidemiology; D005190:Family; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D012737:Sex Factors; D012907:Smoking / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology*