title: The prevalence and motivating factors of adolescent smoking at a rural middle school in Taiwan.
abstract: The purpose of this survey is to study the prevalence and motivating factors of smoking among 1,372 students at a rural middle school in Taiwan. The prevalence of smokers for total, male, and female students is 5.7, 11.5, and 0.4%, respectively. Prevalence increased with age and grade among males, but no significant differences were found among females. Prevalence was higher among students from nuclear families than those from extended families (OR = 2.8, 95% C.I. 1.4-5.5). Prevalence was also higher among students from families with very strict parental control or very little parental control (OR = 4.25, 95% C.I. 2.24-8.08). The majority (70-80%) began smoking during primary school. Smokers who had attempted abstinence in the past had a better understanding of the hazards of smoking and smoked less frequently and with lower average consumption (P < .05). For 60% of the students the first source of cigarettes was friends or classmates; only 22% bought them. Health education increased understanding of the hazards of smoking (OR = 2.2, 95% C.I. 1.10-4.45). In conclusion, the primary factors that affect adolescent smoking are age, family structure, abstinence experience, strictness of upbringing, family influence, peer pressure, and health education.
authors.affiliation: A-Lein Community Health Center, Kaoshiung County, Taiwan, Republic of China.
authors.forename: C S
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Chou
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D009042:Motivation; D015995:Prevalence; D012424:Rural Population; D012574:Schools; D012737:Sex Factors; D012907:Smoking / Q000453:epidemiology*; D013334:Students / Q000523:psychology*; D013624:Taiwan / Q000453:epidemiology