Adolescent occasional smokers, a target group for smoking cessation? the Nord-Trøndelag Health Study, Norway, 1995-1997

BACKGROUND: Adolescent smokers are often unsuccessful in quitting and difficult to retain in cessation programs. In health promotion, focusing on the right target groups is essential. Aim. The aim was to examine if adolescent occasional smokers differ from daily smokers, and if possible differences could be useful for targeted smoking cessation programs. METHODS: Ninety-one percent of all teenagers attending junior high or high schools participated in a cross-sectional study, conducted in Nord-Tr?ndelag County, Norway, 1995-1997, including 8,460 students 13-18 years old. Information on smoking habits, education, after school activities, and parents was obtained by self-administered questionnaires. RESULTS: Fifty-four percent of boys and 57% of girls had tried at least one cigarette. Of these, 36% of boys and 41% of girls were current smokers, half of whom reported occasional smoking. Students who had quit smoking had more often been occasional than daily smokers. Compared to daily smokers, occasional smokers participated in higher academic courses, were more engaged in organized activities and sports, had been drunk less often, and had better family role models. CONCLUSION: Differences support potential utility of focusing on occasional smokers as a special target group in smoking cessation programs.     

Adolescent Occasional Smokers, a Target Group for Smoking Cessation? The Nord–Trøndelag Health Study, Norway, 1995–1997

Background. Adolescent smokers are often unsuccessful in quitting and difficult to retain in cessation programs. In health promotion, focusing on the right target groups is essential.Aim. The aim was to examine if adolescent occasional smokers differ from daily smokers, and if possible differences could be useful for targeted smoking cessation programs.Methods. Ninety-one percent of all teenagers attending junior high or high schools participated in a cross-sectional study, conducted in Nord-Trøndelag County, Norway, 1995–1997, including 8,460 students 13–18 years old. Information on smoking habits, education, after school activities, and parents was obtained by self-administered questionnaires.Results. Fifty-four percent of boys and 57% of girls had tried at least one cigarette. Of these, 36% of boys and 41% of girls were current smokers, half of whom reported occasional smoking. Students who had quit smoking had more often been occasional than daily smokers. Compared to daily smokers, occasional smokers participated in higher academic courses, were more engaged in organized activities and sports, had been drunk less often, and had better family role models.Conclusion. Differences support potential utility of focusing on occasional smokers as a special target group in smoking cessation programs.     

Relationship Between Self-Esteem and Smoking Behavior Among Japanese Early Adolescents: Initial Results from a Three-Year Study

Researchers examined the relationship between self-esteem and smoking behavior among Japanese elementary and junior high school students. Students (2,090) in fourth to ninth grade from three elementary schools and two junior high schools in the Hyogo and Niigata prefectures completed an anonymous questionnaire. Self-esteem was measured using the Harter Perceived Competence Scale, the Pope Self-Esteem Scale, and the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale. Results indicated that never smokers had higher cognitive, family, and global self-esteem, but lower physical self-esteem than ever smokers. Grade and gender were significantly associated with self-esteem, showing a decrease of self-esteem with increases in grade and a higher level of self-esteem among boys than girls. The results suggest that effective smoking prevention programs for Japanese early adolescents should be integrated into more comprehensive health education or health promotion programs including self-esteem enhancement training.     

2005年北京市儿童青少年烟草流行现状调查分析

目的了解北京市儿童青少年烟草流行现状及其影响因素，为制定北京市青少年控烟策略提供依据。方法采用多层整群抽样的方法，选取126所大中小学学生进行问卷调查。结果共调查北京市小学生、中学生和大学生17952人，其中男生8873人，女生9079人；小学生5688人，中学生8755人，大学生3509人；农村生源2232人，县镇生源6595人，城市生源9125人。北京市6—14岁学生吸烟率为1．12％，15—24岁学生吸烟率为11．73％；男性吸烟率高于女性，并均于17岁达到高峰；中专与职业高中学生吸烟率最高；学生开始尝试吸烟的高峰年龄为小学高年级及初中阶段；影响学生吸烟的因素主要分为自身、家庭与社会环境三个部分。结论北京市儿童青少年吸烟率达到很高水平，尝试吸烟年龄提前，因此制定有效的干预措施和策略是当务之急。     

Smoking and its associated factors in Portuguese adolescent students

OBJECTIVE: To describe smoking habits and to identify their determinants in adolescent students. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was carried out on smoking habits comprising 1,052 girls and 984 boys aged 13 years attending public and private schools in the city of Porto, Portugal. The proportion of participation was 77.5%. Information on sociodemographic and behavioral characteristics was obtained from a questionnaire filled out at home by participants and their parents. At school, another self-administered questionnaire was used to obtain information about tobacco use. Several independent samples were compared using the Kruskal-Wallis test and proportions were compared by Chi-square test. Odds ratio and 95% confidence intervals were calculated by unconditional logistic regression. RESULTS: Overall, 19.9% (22.4% of girls and 17.1% of boys) students only had ever experimented smoking but were not smokers; 1.8% (2.0% of girls and 1.5% of boys) were occasional smokers and 1.3% (2.0% of girls and 0.4% of boys) smoked at least one cigarette/day. Curiosity was the main reason given by adolescents to experiment smoking (48.4% of girls and 45.6% of boys). After adjustment to parental, siblings' and friends' smoking habits, the stronger association was with the smoking habits of their friends for both girls (OR=4.03; 95% CI: 2.69-6.04) and boys (OR=5.39; 95% CI: 3.34-8.70). CONCLUSIONS: A high proportion of students had ever experimented smoking. Smoking habits among peers proved to be the strongest determinant of smoking during adolescence.     

上海市职校生吸烟现状及其影响因素分析

目的了解上海市职校生吸烟行为现状及其影响因素,为制定控烟干预措施提供依据。方法整群抽取上海市5所职业学校,采用自编问卷对全体一至二年级3 450名学生进行吸烟现况调查。结果共检出尝试吸烟学生1 381名(40.0%),男、女生尝试吸烟率分别为50.0%和31.0%;现在吸烟率为14.61%。尝试吸烟最主要的原因为好奇(45.2%),而持续吸烟的最主要原因为心情不好或排遣负性情绪(53.8%)。49.7%尝试吸烟者香烟由同伴或朋友提供。吸烟场所以公园和马路上居多。吸烟组与不吸烟组对于有关态度持有率和吸烟意向差异有统计学意义(P<0.05)。男、女生吸烟行为与多种因素普遍相关。结论上海市职校生吸烟状况较严重,在广泛宣传吸烟危害健康知识的同时,应针对不同对象提供有效的心理支持、提高生活技能和加强同伴压力应对等技巧。     

Smoking among urban Malaysian school children

A questionnaire on smoking habits was administered to 4106 Form IV school children in Kuala Lumpur. The period of survey was from 9 to 20 April 1984. 2099 boys and 2007 girls were studied and their mean age was 16.1 years. 32.8% of the students had been initiated to smoking and the mean age of initiation was 13.3 years. The prevalence of smoking was found to be 9.8% and the mean duration of smoking was 2.5 years. Most of the smokers and occasional smokers were boys. About 42% of the smokers wished to stop smoking and only 1% of the non-smokers intended to smoke in the future. The study recommended that health education programmes should be started earlier in school.     

Prevalence of cigarette smoking among Australian secondary school students in 1993

Abstract: The prevalence of cigarette smoking in Australian secondary school students in 1993 was estimated from a survey of 22 696 12- to 17-year-old students from 332 secondary schools (and feeder schools) in all states and the Northern Territory. Self-administered questionnaires were answered anonymously by groups of up to 20 students selected randomly from school rolls, a method that replicated previous surveys in 1984, 1987 and 1990. Current smoking (smoking at least one cigarette in the week preceding the survey) at 12 years of age was 8 per cent in boys and 7 per cent in girls, but in those 17 years of age the prevalence was much higher (28 per cent of boys, 31 per cent of girls). Age was also associated with the mean number of cigarettes smoked per week by current smokers (8.6 in boys and 7.0 in girls at age 12 and 43.8 in boys and 32.0 in girls at age 17). After controlling for sex, age, school type and state of residence, the percentage of 12- to 15-year-olds who were current smokers rose from 15.7 per cent to 17.5 per cent between 1990 and 1993, an effect that was more pronounced in boys. On the other hand, the mean number of cigarettes smoked by 12- to 15-year-old current smokers dropped from 23 per week to 19.5, and the reduced consumption was greatest in boys. Furthermore, there was no increase in the proportion of students who smoked on three or more days per week, which suggests the increase was limited to occasional, casual or social smoking.     

Health problems in teenage daily smokers versus nonsmokers, Norway, 1995-1997: the Nord-Trøndelag Health Study

Increased morbidity among teenage smokers has been reported, but specific current health problems and medication use other than of alcohol and narcotics have received less attention. The aim of this study was to examine the association between health problems and daily smoking in teenagers. Ninety percent of all teenagers attending junior high or high schools participated in a cross-sectional study conducted in Nord-Tr?ndelag County, Norway, 1995-1997; included were 8,040 students aged 13-18 years. Information on smoking habits, health problems, medication use, and use of health services was obtained in schools by self-administered questionnaire and by interview. Fifty-five percent of boys and 57% of girls had tried smoking, and 9% and 11%, respectively, reported current daily smoking. When compared with boys and girls who had never smoked, daily smoking among both sexes and all age groups was associated with significantly poorer perceived health, respiratory symptoms, headache, neck and shoulder pain, stomachache, nausea, frequent heartbeats, nervousness/restlessness, and sleep problems. Daily smokers used more medications and health services. Daily smoking by adolescents is already associated with multiple somatic health problems. Whether or not the association is causal, daily smoking identifies a group of adolescents with health problems for whom preventive strategies should also include medical and social support.     

Prevalence of Tobacco Use Among Junior High and Senior High School Students in Taiwan

BACKGROUND: Tobacco use is a major preventable cause of death in the world. This article describes and compares tobacco use prevalence for students attending junior high schools and senior high schools in Taiwan. METHODS: This report uses data from the Global Youth Tobacco Survey (GYTS) completed among 4689 junior high school students and 4426 senior high school students in Taiwan in 2004‐2005. The GYTS uses a 2‐stage sampling design to produce nationally representative data for junior and senior high students in general and vocational schools. RESULTS: Higher smoking prevalence was observed among senior high (10.1% general schools and 15.9% vocational schools) than junior high (5.5%) school students. Smoking prevalence of girls in junior high (3.2%) and senior high schools (4.6% general and 11.1% vocational) was almost as high or higher than adult females’ (4.3%) smoking rates. The pattern of smoking intensity across school years and type of school shows that the percentage of smokers who were experimenters (47.1%) was higher in junior high school and the percentage of smokers who were regular/established smokers (over 50%) was higher in senior high school. CONCLUSIONS: Smoking prevalence described in this report shows that there are challenges facing the tobacco prevention and control program in Taiwan. The findings suggest that schools should increase their smoking initiation prevention efforts and make available cessation programs and counseling to help students quit smoking. If effective youth tobacco control programs are not developed and implemented in Taiwan, future morbidity and mortality attributed to tobacco will surely increase, especially among women.     

海南省贫困地区中小学生营养不良调查分析

目的 了解海南省贫困地区学生营养不良状况,为制定营养改善措施提供科学依据。 方法 采用分层整群抽样方法随机抽取海南省实施“农村义务教育学生营养改善计划”贫困地区小学和初中共12所,每所学校的每个年级中抽取1~2个班的学生作为调查对象,按照统一标准方法测量学生的身高、体重。 结果 共调查5 006名学生,其中男生2 636名,女生2 370名;学生营养不良检出率为28.5%,生长迟缓检出率4.6%,均为男生高于女生,小学生高于初中生,乡镇学校学生高于县城学校学生,差异有统计学意义(P<0.05);轻度消瘦检出率为9.8%,男生高于女生,差异有统计学意义(P<0.05);中重度消瘦检出率14.1%,黎族学生较高且男生高于女生,小学生高于初中生,乡镇学校学生高于县城学校学生,差异有统计学意义(P<0.05)。 结论 海南省贫困地区学生营养不良率较高,尤其是男生、小学生以及乡镇学校学生,需重点关注。     

北京市2010年中学生烟草使用流行现状分析

目的 了解2010年北京市中学生烟草使用相关行为和二手烟暴露现状以及对烟草的认知和态度,为积极开展学校控烟工作提供参考.方法 采用分层整群抽样的方法,于2010年4-5月对北京市共计33所学校中11242名学生进行匿名自填式问卷调查,共回收有效问卷11208份.结果 中学生尝试吸烟率为24.70％,现在吸烟率为9.11％,吸烟率为5.06％;不吸烟中学生的二手烟暴露率为38.47％.男生、住宿生的烟草使用率均显著高于女生和非住宿生;郊区、非重点校、职业中学的烟草使用率分别高于城区、重点校和普通中学,差异均有统计学意义(P值均＜0.01).现在吸烟率和吸烟率较2008年均略有下降,二手烟暴露率有了明显下降.结论 中学生尝试吸烟率居高不下,对于烟草危害及有关态度的认识有待于进一步提高.建议继续加强对中学生开展健康教育,引导和教育中学生坚决“拒吸第一支烟”.     

A survey of smoking behavior among junior high school students and smoking prevention education developed using the survey results]

In June 1996 and 1997, a self-administered anonymous questionnaire survey of smoking behavior was conducted on students (118 boys and 135 girls) of two junior high schools in Kami-gun, Kochi Prefecture. Following the surveys, smoking prevention education classes were held using the survey results as material for education. The survey results were as follows; 1. The percentage of ever-smokers was higher in boys than in girls, 37.9% and 22.8% respectively. The percentage of those who smoked at least one cigarette during the past one month was 2.9%, and the rate increased with school grade. 2. Most commonly, first experience of smoking was between the 4th to 6th grades in elementary school, and the main motive for first smoking was curiosity. 3. The association between smoking and lung cancer was the most widely known, and that between smoking and intrauterine growth retardation was relatively well-known among students. More than 90% of students clearly understood the harmfulness of passive smoking. 4. The results of logistic regression analyses revealed that friends' and parents' smoking were significant correlates of smoking experience in boys. Among girls no significant relationship was found. The content of smoking prevention education class consisted of quizzes about smoking, an explanation of the survey results, an exhibition of a cross-sectional model of the lung, an experiment of smoking using a small doll, an analysis of expired air carbon monoxide concentration, and an explanation of the harmfulness of smoking. The reports of the students after the class showed that not only the explanation of the harmfulness of smoking, but also the experiment or explanation of the survey results appeared to be effective educational content.     

Changes in the use of tobacco among Australian secondary students: results of the 1999 prevalence study and comparisons with earlier years

OBJECTIVE: To estimate smoking prevalence among Australian secondary students in 1999 and to examine trends in smoking-related behaviours since 1984. METHOD: A randomly selected representative sample of 399 secondary schools from across Australia participated in the study. At each school, up to 80 randomly selected students completed a pencil-and-paper questionnaire anonymously. Data from 25,486 students aged between 12 and 17 years are reported. RESULTS: Current smoking (smoking in the week before the survey) was 6% in boys and girls aged 12, and rose to a peak prevalence among 17-year-olds of 33% for boys and 30% for girls. Comparisons across survey years showed that while fewer 12-to-15-year-olds were current smokers in 1999 than in 1996, among 16- and 17-year-olds, the proportion of current smokers in 1999 and 1996 was similar. Students who smoked were less likely to buy their cigarettes in 1999 than in previous surveys. Both older and younger secondary students were more likely to have received lessons about tobacco in the school year prior to the 1999 survey than were students in the 1996 survey. CONCLUSION: The rise in the prevalence of smoking among younger secondary students seen in the 1990s seems to have stopped and smoking prevalence has declined. Implications: Extrapolating from this survey, we estimate that nearly 269,000 12-to-17-year-old students were current smokers in 1999. If they all continue to smoke, 134,000 would die prematurely.     

Tobacco use among Australin secondary students in 1996

OBJECTIVES: To estimate smoking prevalence among Australian secondary students in 1996 and to examine trends in smoking prevalence since 1984. METHOD: A randomly selected representative sample of 434 secondary schools from across Australia participated in the study. At each school 80 randomly selected students completed a pencil-and-paper questionnaire anonymously. Data from 29,850 students aged between 12 and 17 years are reported. RESULTS: Current smoking (smoking in the week before the survey) was 8% in boys and 7% in girls aged 12, and rose to a peak prevalence among 17 year olds of 28% for boys and 34% for girls. The mean number of cigarettes smoked per week among current smokers rose from 11 for boys and six for girls aged 12 to 37 for boys and 34 for girls aged 17. Comparisons across survey years showed that while fewer 12 to 15 year olds were current smokers in 1996 than in 1984, the proportion in 1996 was greater than that in 1987 or 1990. Among 16 and 17 year olds, the proportion of current smokers in 1996 was greater than that seen in 1987 or 1990. An aggregate measure of tobacco involvement suggested that involvement with tobacco had remained stable since 1993 among 12 to 15 year olds. CONCLUSION: The decline in adolescent smoking seen in the late 1980s has stopped. IMPLICATIONS: Extrapolating from this survey, we estimate that more than 276,000 12-17 year old students were current smokers in 1996. If they all continue to smoke, 138,000 would die prematurely.     

广州市中小学生精神活性物质滥用现状研究

[目的]了解广州市中小学生精神活性物质滥用的现状．为进行学生健康教育提供参考。[方法]分层随机整群抽取广州市8所小学4-6年级，9所中学初一至高三的8222名学生进行问卷调查。[结果]有23.6%的学生尝试过吸烟,有7.5%的学生是经常性吸烟,有53.2%的学生尝试过饮酒,有过其他药物滥用行为的学生的比例高达7.1%,中学生发生吸烟,饮酒和药物滥用的主要原因是＂好奇＂和＂受周围人影响＂（分别占87.5%,78.7%和87.0%）烟酒及其他药物滥用者中感到身体受到了损害的分别有20.4%,12.3%和52.8%,学生曾因用药后伤人中以喝酒后伤人的学生比例最多占5.2%.[结论]中小学生中发生吸烟,喝酒和其他精神药物滥用的情况已不容忽视,提倡在中小学生中开展个性化健康教育来预防和控制精神活性物质滥用行为.     

北京市怀柔区中小学校控烟现况调查

目的了解北京市怀柔区中小学学生吸烟情况及对烟草相关知识的了解情况,找到适合不同类型学校特点的有效控烟干预方法,为政府部门制定相关政策、措施提供数据支持和科学依据。方法抽取怀柔辖区内的小学4所840人,初中4所684人,高中3所430人,职业学校1所252人。每所学校男女生比例尽量符合1：1。调查采用封闭式匿名问卷,由学生自行填写。问卷根据学生的学习阶段不同分为小学低年级（1～3年级）、小学高年级（4～6年级）、和中学3种。结果怀柔区小学生低年级的尝试吸烟率为15.21%,小学高年级的尝试吸烟率为0.10%,现在吸烟率0.49%;中学生的尝试吸烟率为29.51%,现在吸烟率17.20%。结论中学生控烟工作应是我区学校控烟工作的重点。     

A survey of cigarette smoking among middle school students in 1988

A survey of the prevalence of smoking in middle school students aged 13-21 years in Harbin city, China, was undertaken in the Spring of 1988. A random sample of 4712 students was selected using proportional stratified clustering. A self-administered confidential questionnaire relating to smoking habits and certain family and school factors was administered. The results showed that 1.29% of the students (2.21% boys and 0.38% girls) smoked regularly, 5.62% (10.52% boys and 0.76% girls) were light smokers and 13.77% (24.29% boys and 2.92% girls) smoked only occasionally. Smoking habits were related to the type of school and to age, there being a higher proportion of smoking in senior grade students. Students were significantly more likely to smoke if they were male and if their siblings smoked. Prevalence of regular smoking was not related to parental occupation or family income. It is suggested that anti-smoking education in the school curriculum should be directed towards students in middle school.     

常州市青少年吸烟现状及影响因素分析

目的 了解常州市青少年吸烟状况、对烟草的认知情况及影响吸烟行为的因素,为制定控烟策略提供依据.方法 采用分层整群抽样方法,使用“江苏省青少年与烟草调查问卷”,对常州市小学、中学、中专学生共1 050名进行调查.结果 常州市青少年尝试吸烟率为14.48％,男生为22.94％,女生为8.15％,差异有统计学意义(x2=45.39,P＜0.05);现在吸烟率为3.05％,其中男生为5.12％,女生为1.50％,差异有统计学意义(x2=11.43,P＜0.05).半数以上学生对烟草与健康相关知识和态度较好.大部分学生认同被动吸烟有害健康,但是对被动吸烟损害与主动吸烟损害的认知差异有统计学意义(x2=37.10,P＜0.05).学生周围与烟草有关的信息不同,其尝试吸烟率也不同.结论 常州市青少年尝试吸烟年龄较小,中等职业学校是控制吸烟行为的重点.应针对不同年龄青少年开展健康教育活动,教师和家长也应从自身做起,给学生、孩子做好榜样.     

Standardization of definitions concerning smoking behavior among Japanese adolescents--results from the Japan Adolescent Smoking Survey (JASS)]

The aim of the Japan Adolescent Smoking Survey (JASS) is to standardize the definitions of smoking behavior among Japanese adolescents together with measurement methods and questionnaires concerned. A study of 9921 school children aged 9 to 18 years in 17 elementary schools, 16 junior high schools and 18 senior high schools in 9 prefectures, was conducted between June and July of 1989, to determine the relationship between actual smoking behavior during the past month or year and the "self-referent label" concerning their smoking status. The main results were as follows: 1) The percentage of those who smoked at least one cigarette during the past month showed a high degree of similarity to the percentage of those who referred to themselves as "regular smokers" or "occasional smokers". 2) Less than 10% of students who identified themselves as "never smokers" or "ex-smokers" smoked at least one cigarette during the past month, while more than 80% of students who referred to themselves as "regular smokers" or "occasional smokers" smoked during the past month. 3) On the whole, those who smoked 20 or more cigarettes during the past month referred to themselves as "regular smokers"; those who smoked between 2 and 19 cigarettes as "occasional smokers"; those who smoked 1 cigarette as "ex-smokers"; those who did not smoke during the past month as "never smokers". 4) The definition where students who smoked one cigarette during the past month are classified as a category of smoker, displayed a high level of sensitivity and specificity for all school-level groups and for both sexes.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)