Prevalence and influencing factors of smoking behavior among adolescents in Anyang city

Objective To examine the prevalence and influencing factors of smoking behavior among adolescents in Anyang city of Henan province and to provide a basis for smoking prevention and intervention.Methods Totally 5 040 students were recruited from 24 high and vocational schools and universities in Anyang municipality with multistage stratified cluster sampling and surveyed with "Questionnaire on Health Related Behaviors for Adolescents in China" designed by China Center for Disease Control and Prevention from October 2013 to February 2014.Results The self-reported rate of ever-smoking,current smoking,and smoking at younger age (≤13 years)were 27.48%,12.38%, and 10.67% among the students,respectively;all the rates were higher among the boy students than among the girl students and higher among the students in urban areas than those in rural areas (P<0.05 for all).The ever-smoking rate increased with the increment of grade;the senior high school students reported higher rates of ever-smoking,current smoking,frequent smoking than the junior high school and university students (P<0.01 for all).The results of logistic regression analysis revealed that the risk factors for smoking behavior among urban and rural students were alcohol drinking (odds ratios for the urban and rural students:4.216,6.434),fighting with others (2.549,2.483),and feeling lonely (1.957,1.429);other risk factors included having ever been bullied (odds ratio:1.546)among the urban students and violating traffic rules when riding a bicycle (1.319),hopelessness (1.429),and suicidal ideation (1.436)among the rural students.Taking measures to lose weight, physical activity and study stress were hindering factors for smoking behavior among both the urban and rural students.Conclusion Comprehensive measures should be taken in families,schools,and the society to control smoking among adolescent students.