title: Smoking is associated with poor self-rated health among adolescents in Hong Kong.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  To investigate the association between smoking and self-rated health (SRH) among adolescents in Hong Kong.
  
  
  METHODS
  Form 1 (U.S. Grade 7) to 5 students (N = 36,225) from 85 randomly selected secondary schools were surveyed using anonymous, self-administered questionnaires to collect information about smoking, SRH, secondhand smoke exposure, drinking, illicit drug use, physical activities, medical services use, health complaints, and sociodemographic characteristics. Logistic regression yielded adjusted odds ratios (AORs) for poor SRH due to smoking in boys and girls.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Compared with never-smoking, smoking experimentation, ex-smoking, and current smoking were associated with AORs (95% CI) for poor SRH of 1.22 (1.07-1.40), 1.43 (1.12-1.83), and 1.31 (1.13-1.53), p for trend <.001, in boys and 1.26 (1.10-1.39), 1.42 (1.08-1.85), and 1.75 (1.53-2.00, p for trend <.001, in girls. The AOR of poor SRH for current smoking was higher in girls than boys, p for interaction <.001. Current and experimental smoking but not ex-smoking were significantly associated with poor SRH among healthy students who had no health complaints or recent medical consultations. Increasing cigarette consumption, years of smoking, and smoking urge were also significantly associated with poor SRH.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Smoking was associated with poor SRH among Chinese adolescents, especially girls. This finding is useful for discouraging smoking initiation and motivating quitting in adolescent smokers.
authors.affiliation: School of Public Health, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China.
authors.forename: Man Ping
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Sai Yin
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Ho
authors.forename: Wing Sze
authors.initials: WS
authors.lastname: Lo
authors.forename: Man Kin
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Lai
authors.forename: Tai Hing
authors.initials: TH
authors.lastname: Lam
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D041923:Adolescent Development; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006306:Health Surveys / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006723:Hong Kong / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D009043:Motor Activity; D016017:Odds Ratio; D012574:Schools; D012647:Self-Assessment; D012907:Smoking / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014028:Tobacco Smoke Pollution / Q000009:adverse effects
chemical_list: D014028:Tobacco Smoke Pollution