Elena Charis G Savvides1, Costas A Christophi2, Martha Paisi3, Despina Pampaka4, Taru Kinnunen5, Gregory N Connolly6. 1. Cyprus International Institute for Environmental and Public Health in association with Harvard School of Public Health, Cyprus University of Technology, 95 Irinis Street, 3041 Limassol, Cyprus. Electronic address: esavvides@gmail.com. 2. Cyprus International Institute for Environmental and Public Health in association with Harvard School of Public Health, Cyprus University of Technology, 95 Irinis Street, 3041 Limassol, Cyprus; Department of Environmental Health, Harvard School of Public Health, 665 Huntington Avenue, Boston, MA 02115, USA. Electronic address: costas.christophi@cut.ac.cy. 3. Cyprus International Institute for Environmental and Public Health in association with Harvard School of Public Health, Cyprus University of Technology, 95 Irinis Street, 3041 Limassol, Cyprus. Electronic address: martha.paisi@cut.ac.cy. 4. Cyprus International Institute for Environmental and Public Health in association with Harvard School of Public Health, Cyprus University of Technology, 95 Irinis Street, 3041 Limassol, Cyprus. Electronic address: despina.pampaka@cut.ac.cy. 5. Harvard School of Dental Medicine, 188 Longwood Avenue, Boston, MA 02115, USA. Electronic address: taru_Kinnunen@hsdm.harvard.edu. 6. Division of Public Health Practice, Harvard School of Public Health, 677 Huntington Avenue, Boston, MA 02115, USA. Electronic address: gconnoll@hsph.harvard.edu.
Abstract
OBJECTIVES: To identify factors associated with adolescent smokers' desire to quit based on the 2006 Cyprus Global Youth Tobacco Survey. METHODS: A cluster sample design was used to select a representative sample of students from all registered middle and high schools in Cyprus with >40 students in academic year 2005-2006. Multivariable logistic regression was used taking into account the weight associated with each of the respondents. RESULTS: Out of the total sample with available information (N=12,629), 1591 students were current smokers (weighted frequency=14%) and were included in the analysis, with 734 (46.1%) of them reporting that they want to quit smoking. In both males and females, strong predictors of intention to quit smoking include past quit attempts and physical activity. Intention to quit is also associated with the belief that smoking is harmful to them and inversely associated with having peers who smoke, in boys, and the belief that smoking is harmful to others and perceiving smokers as less attractive, and inversely associated with pocket money, in girls. CONCLUSIONS: The present study has identified factors that appear to influence youth's intention to quit tobacco, which is of major importance in developing successful tobacco cessation programs targeting adolescents.
OBJECTIVES: To identify factors associated with adolescent smokers' desire to quit based on the 2006 Cyprus Global Youth Tobacco Survey. METHODS: A cluster sample design was used to select a representative sample of students from all registered middle and high schools in Cyprus with >40 students in academic year 2005-2006. Multivariable logistic regression was used taking into account the weight associated with each of the respondents. RESULTS: Out of the total sample with available information (N=12,629), 1591 students were current smokers (weighted frequency=14%) and were included in the analysis, with 734 (46.1%) of them reporting that they want to quit smoking. In both males and females, strong predictors of intention to quit smoking include past quit attempts and physical activity. Intention to quit is also associated with the belief that smoking is harmful to them and inversely associated with having peers who smoke, in boys, and the belief that smoking is harmful to others and perceiving smokers as less attractive, and inversely associated with pocket money, in girls. CONCLUSIONS: The present study has identified factors that appear to influence youth's intention to quit tobacco, which is of major importance in developing successful tobacco cessation programs targeting adolescents.