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Advances in Social Sciences Research Journal – Vol. 9, No. 8
Publication Date: August 25, 2022
DOI:10.14738/assrj.98.12977. Park, M. (2022). Factors Affecting the Smoking Rate of Cigarettes Among Adolescents. Advances in Social Sciences Research Journal,
9(8). 448-452.
Services for Science and Education – United Kingdom
Factors Affecting the Smoking Rate of Cigarettes Among
Adolescents
Min-Hee Park
ABSTRACT
This study aimed to investigate the factors affecting the smoking rate of regular
cigarettes among adolescents in one region of Korea. The ‘smoking rate,' 'smoking
experience rate,' 'current smoking rate,' and 'daily smoking rate' for cigarettes were
investigated. Smoking probability was calculated according to the presence or
absence of smokers in the family, presence or absence of secondhand smoke in the
home, presence or absence of witnessing smoking by faculty and staff, presence or
absence of secondhand smoke in the school, and experience of secondhand smoke
excluding home and school. For the analysis of the results, an odds ratio was
calculated using a logistic regression analysis. This study found that, having a
smoker in the family, experience of secondhand smoke at home, witnessing
smoking by faculty members, and experience of secondhand smoke in school were
significant influencing factors.
Keywords: Adolescent, smoke, cigarette
INTRODUCTION
Adolescents are more likely to be targeted than adults by the greed to attract new consumers
under the new strategy of tobacco companies [1, 2]. There is evidence that curiosity, peer
pressure, and stress are the main causes of smoking among adolescents [3 4]. In addition to
direct smoking, secondhand smoke can affect physical health as a result of smoking.
Furthermore, it is easy for tobacco companies to encourage a habit that continues into
adulthood, ultimately creating loyal customers [5, 6]. This study was conducted to prevent the
start of smoking among adolescents and to find reasons for smoking cessation by investigating
the effects of smoking among adolescents regarding environmental factors related to
secondhand smoke exposure.
This study intends to conduct basic research to establish a youth smoking prevention policy in
a local city. The specific objectives of the study are as follows:
1. To investigate the factors affecting the 'smoking experience rate'
2. To investigate the factors affecting the 'current smoking rate'
3. To investigate the factors affecting the 'daily smoking rate'
METHODS
Study design
This descriptive study aimed to identify the factors affecting cigarette smoking among
adolescents in a region of Korea.
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Park, M. (2022). Factors Affecting the Smoking Rate of Cigarettes Among Adolescents. Advances in Social Sciences Research Journal, 9(8). 448-452.
URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.14738/assrj.98.12977
Participants and data
This data used cigarette smoking data among data from the 2021 smoking status survey
conducted for adolescents in City A. A total of 26,844 individuals from 12 elementary schools,
171 middle schools, and 144 general high schools participated in the smoking survey.
This study analyzed students with different types of smoking status: 1,186 students with
‘smoking experience,’ 469 students who are ‘current smoking,’ and 254 students who are
‘smoking every day.’ The student survey was conducted online in a self-filling format, and the
participants were surveyed voluntarily.
Study instruments
Five questions were used to investigate the factors affecting the 'smoking rate' of regular
cigarettes. The participants were told to respond with either a 'yes' or 'no'.
1. Is there a 'smoker' in the family?
2. Is there any experience of 'secondhand smoke' in the home?
3. Do you have any experience witnessing smoking among school staff?
4. Do you have any experience with 'secondhand smoke' at school?
5. Have you had any experience of 'secondhand smoke' in 'public places'?
RESULTS
Factors affecting 'smoking experience rate'
As a result of the logistic regression analysis on the factors affecting 'smoking experience,' it
was found that the probability of experiencing smoking was high under the following
conditions: 1.752 times (p<0.001) if there was a 'smoker' in the family, 1.690 times (p<0.001)
if there was 'secondhand smoke' in the home, 4.055 times (p<0.001) if they witnessed smoking
by a staff member. In the case of experiencing 'secondhand smoke' in school, participants were
4.029 times (p<0.001) more likely to smoke, and when there was 'secondhand smoke' in public
places, participants were 1.827 times (p<0.001) as likely (Table1).
Table 1. Factors affecting smoking experience rate N=1,186
Variables OR p
'Smokers' in the family - no 1
'Smokers' in the family - yes 1.752 <0.001
Experience of 'secondhand smoke' in the home – no 1
Experience of 'secondhand smoke' in the home - yes 1.690 <0.001
Experience of witnessing faculty members smoking - no 1
Experience of witnessing faculty members smoking - yes 4.055 <0.001
Experience of 'secondhand smoke' in school - no 1
Experience of 'secondhand smoke' in school – yes 4.029 <0.001
Experience of ‘secondhand smoke' in public places - no 1
Experience of 'secondhand smoke' in public places - yes 1.827 <0.001
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Advances in Social Sciences Research Journal (ASSRJ) Vol. 9, Issue 8, August-2022
Services for Science and Education – United Kingdom
Factors affecting the 'current smoking’ rate
As a result of the logistic regression analysis for factors affecting the ‘current smoking’ rate, if
there was a 'smoker' in the family the participant was 2.223 times (p<0.001) more likely to
smoke, if there was 'secondhand smoke' in the home the participant was 2.352 times (p<0.001)
more likely to smoke, if they 'witnessed smoking by faculty and staff' the participant was 5.396
times (p<0.001) more likely to smoke, and if they witnessed 'secondhand smoke' in public
places the participant was 3.322 times (p<0.001) more likely to smoke (Table 2).
Table 2. Factors affection the current smoking rate N=469
Variables OR p
'Smokers' in the family - no 1
'Smokers' in the family - yes 2.223 <0.001
Experience of 'secondhand smoke' in the home – no 1
Experience of 'secondhand smoke' in the home - yes 2.352 <0.001
Experience of witnessing faculty members smoking - no 1
Experience of witnessing faculty members smoking- yes 5.396 <0.001
Experience of 'secondhand smoke' in school - no 1
Experience of 'secondhand smoke' in school – yes 1.675 0.140
Experience of ‘secondhand smoke' in public places – no 1
Experience of 'secondhand smoke' in public places – yes 3.322 <0.001
Factors affecting the 'daily smoking’ rate
As a result of logistic regression analysis for factors affecting 'daily smoking,' if there was a
'smoker' in the family the participant was 2.221 times (p<0.001) more likely to smoke daily, if
there was 'secondhand smoke' in the home the participant was 2.563 times (p<0.001) more
likely to smoke daily, if the participant witnessed ‘smoking by faculty and staff’ they were 6.725
times (p<0.001) more likely to smoke daily, when there was 'secondhand smoke' in school they
were 6.332 times (p<0.001) more likely to smoke daily, and when there was 'secondhand
smoke' in public places they were 4.034 times (p<0.001) more likely to smoke daily (Table 3).