The Experiences of Tobacco Use among South-Western Taiwanese Adolescent Males.

Rei-Mei Hong,Su-Er Guo,Mei-Yen Chen

doi:10.3390/ijerph120910522

Abstract

Most smokers start young. Initiation of cigarette smoking at an earlier age leads to more life-years for tobacco use, makes quitting harder, and increases the risk of serious health consequences. Despite these challenges, research focusing on smoking behavior among adolescent boys in Taiwan is rare. Although the Taiwanese government enacted the Tobacco Hazards Prevention Act in 2009, aimed at prevention and reducing the rate of smoking, the percentage of high school students who smoke has continued to increase. In 2006, 7.5% of adolescent boys engaged in smoking. By 2012 the rate had increased to 24.6%. This paper explores the experiences that contribute to adolescent Taiwanese boys making the decision to smoke. A phenomenological approach to inquiry was used as the philosophical foundations for this study with twelve adolescent boys who engaged in smoking behaviors. Data was gathered through two face-to-face semi-structured interviews and a focus group. Data analysis was performed using Colaizzi’s analysis method. Findings indicated that decisions to begin smoking were motivated by curiosity and as a means of establishing friendships while decisions to continue smoking were linked to the addictive nature of smoking and as a means of coping with stress and passing the time. The findings can be used to inform the prevention of tobacco use and to reduce the high smoking rates among adolescent boys.

Highlights

Smoking is one of a number of high risk factors for lung cancers and other health-related chronic diseases [1,2]
A phenomenological approach to inquiry was used as the philosophical foundations for this study with twelve adolescent boys who engaged in smoking behaviors
In 2000, the percentage of high school students in Taiwan who had experimented with tobacco use on more than one occasion was 46.6%, and by 2010, this figure had increased to 66.4% [3]

Summary

Introduction

Smoking is one of a number of high risk factors for lung cancers and other health-related chronic diseases [1,2]. In 2000, the percentage of high school students in Taiwan who had experimented with tobacco use on more than one occasion was 46.6%, and by 2010, this figure had increased to 66.4% [3]. Initial experimentation with tobacco use has the potential to lead to addictive behaviors which in turn will have a long-term impact on their health and quality of life [4,5]. Adolescence is a critical stage for physical and psychological development. It is a time when young people begin to assert themselves, challenge authority, exercise what they believe are their rights and do not like to be controlled by rules [7,8]. Smoking is one of the behaviors that teenagers have used to express their freedom with most boys in Taiwan beginning to smoke between the ages of 11 and

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Discussion

Conclusion