title: Identifying gender differences among Romanian non-smoking junior high school students.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this study was to assess gender differences regarding perceptions of smoking between Romanian non-smoking boys and girls, to facilitate the development of effective smoking prevention programmes.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cross-sectional data were obtained in 2006 by means of written questionnaires among 981 non-smoking school students aged 13-14 years from Cluj-Napoca, Romania.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The results reveal that girls were more convinced than boys that smoking would result in several positive outcomes such as helping them getting more attention and becoming easier part of the crowd. Moreover, girls declared lower self-efficacy in refraining from smoking when friends smoke or offer them a cigarette. Parental norms regarding smoking seem to be less restrictive for boys than for girls.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The gender differences found in our study do not warrant specific smoking prevention programmes for boys and girls, but it is advisable to include gender-specific issues in prevention activities targeting Romanian adolescents aged 13-14 years.
authors.affiliation: Department of Hygiene, University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Cluj-Napoca, Romania. Ilotrean@umfcluj.ro
authors.forename: Lucia M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Lotrean
authors.forename: Hein
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: De Vries
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000294:Adolescent Behavior / Q000523:psychology*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010465:Perception; D012383:Romania / Q000453:epidemiology; D012649:Self Concept; D012737:Sex Factors; D012907:Smoking / Q000523:psychology*; D000074606:Smoking Prevention; D012931:Social Environment