Health Education Research, Vol. 17, No. 6, 750-760,
December 2002
© 2002 Oxford University Press
Factors associated with smoking progression among Spanish adolescents
Health Promotion Unit, Municipal Institute of Public Health, Barcelona Council, Girona, 87 3r.2a, 08009 Barcelona, Spain
Smoking onset takes place in the early years of adolescence, and can be seen as a progression through stages of preparation, trying, experimentation, regular smoking and nicotine dependence or addiction. The objective of this study is to identify 1-year predictors of smoking consolidation among occasional smokers (experimenters) and of cessation among all smokers. A questionnaire developed to monitor trends in smoking and other health-related behaviors was administered in the spring of 1992 and again 1 year later (1993). The survey was carried out in six large, private schools in Barcelona and Raimat, in the Lleida province, in Catalonia (Spain). In total, 1460 schoolchildren aged 12–19 responded to both the baseline and follow-up questionnaires; 1236 questionnaires (84.7%) were matched through a personal code and were used for the longitudinal study. At the baseline survey 28% of the schoolchildren were regular smokers and 17.1% were occasional smokers, with no differences by gender. At the follow-up survey, progression from occasional to regular smoking was observed in 42% of the girls and 22.7% of the boys. Other predictors of consolidation included drinking alcohol (OR = 3.1; 95% CI = 1.1–10.1) and reporting the intention to smoke in the future (OR = 2.5; 95% CI = 1.3–4.9). Among all the smokers at the baseline, predictors of cessation were smoking occasionally (versus regularly) (OR = 4.9; 95% CI = 2.8–8.6), negative attitudes regarding smoking (OR = 3.3; 95% CI = 1.9–5.4), reporting no intention to smoke in the future (OR = 2.2; 95% CI = 1.3–3.8), gender (OR for boys = 2.1; 95% CI = 1.2–3.6), receiving weekly pocket less than 1000 ptas (OR = 1.7; 95% CI = 1.1–5.3) and age (OR for being 15 and younger = 1.6; 95% CI = 1.1–4.9). We conclude that consolidation of smoking is twice as likely among girls than among boys. Intention to smoke seems to be a good predictor of future behavior, while attitudes may predict cessation, but not consolidation. Available pocket money seems to be a strong risk factor for smoking at this age.
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