Smoking patterns of university woman students in Miyagi, Japan: the Miyagaku Study.
BACKGROUND
The increase in the smoking rate among young women is a worldwide problem. However, few reports have focused on female students, in particular, with detailed accounts of their smoking behavior. The aim of this study was to clarify the smoking patterns of Japanese women of approximately 20 years of age.


METHODS
Smoking behavior, age at initiation, favorite brand and related attitudes were examined using a cross-sectional anonymous questionnaire administered to students at a women's university in Miyagi, Japan in 2000.


RESULTS
Of 2,984 subjects (response rate: 96%), 16% said that they smoke (95% confidence interval 15-18%): 7% of freshmen, 16% of sophomores, 22% of juniors and 20% of seniors. While music majors were most likely to smoke (21%), domestic science majors had the lowest rate of smoking (10%). Among the smokers, 27% started the habit at age 20 years, the legal age in Japan, and 25% started at age 18. The favorite brand was Marlboro (39%), followed by Mild Seven (16%), a domestic brand. One-third of the smokers had no plans to quit.


CONCLUSIONS
Reaching the legal age and entering university may prompt young women to start smoking habitually. In contrast to its overall market share in Japan, a US brand is now favored by current young female smokers.
Ohwada
Hiroko Iwaoka
HI
Department of Food and Nutritional Science, Miyagi Gakuin Women's University, Sendai 981-8557, Japan.
Nakayama
Takeo
T
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001294:Attitude to Health; D016001:Confidence Intervals; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003625:Data Collection; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007564:Japan; D012907:Smoking / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000639:trends; D016540:Smoking Cessation / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D013334:Students / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014495:Universities / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D016387:Women's Health