A D Sperber1, A Peleg, M Friger, P Shvartzman. 1. Unit for Health Promotion and Disease Prevention, Division of Health in the Community, Soroka University Medical Center, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva 84101, Israel. amy@bgumail.bgu.ac.il
Abstract
BACKGROUND: A prospective, 3-year cohort study of smoking habits was conducted among 9th grade pupils in Israel. METHODS: A self-administered questionnaire was answered by pupils in the 9th grade and again in the 11th and 12th grades. RESULTS: The baseline questionnaire was answered by 748 9th graders. In the 11th grade 448 (60%) completed the questionnaire for the second time, and in the 12th grade 388 (52%) completed the questionnaire. In all, 312 pupils (42% of the original cohort) completed all three questionnaires. There were no significant sociodemographic differences between these 312 and the original 748. Eight 9th graders (2.6%) were active smokers (at least one cigarette daily for the last month) compared with 64 (20.5%) in the 11th grade (P < 0.0001 vs 9th grade) and 70 (22.4%) in the 12th grade (P = 0.34 vs 11th grade). Most pupils knew the health hazards of smoking. Variables associated with smoking in the 11th grade included religiosity (religion was associated with lower smoking rates, P = 0.07), past experimentation with smoking (P < 0.0001), smoking among family members (P < 0.01), perceived future smoking status (P < 0.001), self-image (P < 0.001), influence of a teacher (P = 0.07) or celebrity (P < 0.05), and effect of peer pressure (P < 0.01). These results were similar for the 12th grade students except for active or previous smoking by gender (a significantly greater proportion of females than males, P = 0.04). CONCLUSIONS: The study design reduces the potential bias of follow-up attrition on assessment of predictors for smoking initiation. Gender, social modeling and peer pressure, past experimentation with smoking, smoking among family members, role models, and self-image were associated with smoking. These factors should be emphasized in intervention programs. Copyright 2001 American Health Foundation and Academic Press.
BACKGROUND: A prospective, 3-year cohort study of smoking habits was conducted among 9th grade pupils in Israel. METHODS: A self-administered questionnaire was answered by pupils in the 9th grade and again in the 11th and 12th grades. RESULTS: The baseline questionnaire was answered by 748 9th graders. In the 11th grade 448 (60%) completed the questionnaire for the second time, and in the 12th grade 388 (52%) completed the questionnaire. In all, 312 pupils (42% of the original cohort) completed all three questionnaires. There were no significant sociodemographic differences between these 312 and the original 748. Eight 9th graders (2.6%) were active smokers (at least one cigarette daily for the last month) compared with 64 (20.5%) in the 11th grade (P < 0.0001 vs 9th grade) and 70 (22.4%) in the 12th grade (P = 0.34 vs 11th grade). Most pupils knew the health hazards of smoking. Variables associated with smoking in the 11th grade included religiosity (religion was associated with lower smoking rates, P = 0.07), past experimentation with smoking (P < 0.0001), smoking among family members (P < 0.01), perceived future smoking status (P < 0.001), self-image (P < 0.001), influence of a teacher (P = 0.07) or celebrity (P < 0.05), and effect of peer pressure (P < 0.01). These results were similar for the 12th grade students except for active or previous smoking by gender (a significantly greater proportion of females than males, P = 0.04). CONCLUSIONS: The study design reduces the potential bias of follow-up attrition on assessment of predictors for smoking initiation. Gender, social modeling and peer pressure, past experimentation with smoking, smoking among family members, role models, and self-image were associated with smoking. These factors should be emphasized in intervention programs. Copyright 2001 American Health Foundation and Academic Press.
Authors: Susan Harlap; A Michael Davies; Lisa Deutsch; Ronit Calderon-Margalit; Orly Manor; Ora Paltiel; Efrat Tiram; Rivka Yanetz; Mary C Perrin; Mary B Terry; Dolores Malaspina; Yechiel Friedlander Journal: Paediatr Perinat Epidemiol Date: 2007-05 Impact factor: 3.980
Authors: Lazaros T Sichletidis; Diamantis A Chloros; Anastasios I Tsiotsios; Dionisios G Spyratos Journal: Int J Environ Res Public Health Date: 2009-03-02 Impact factor: 3.390