Smoking Habits Of Children Research Articles

Does Income and Education of Parents Correlate With the Smoking Habits of Children?

Does Income and Education of Parents Correlate With the Smoking Habits of Children?

The Influence Of The Turkish Anti-tobacco Law On Primary School Children In Edirne

Objective: The Turkish anti-tobacco law was accepted and effectuated in 1996. All forms of cigarette advertising, the sale of tobacco products to persons under the age of 18 and smoking in public institutions were all restricted. In this paper, we aimed to evaluate the influence of the Turkish antitobacco law on children for the periods before the law, after three years and after 10 years. Material and Methods: A self-completed questionnaire was distributed among primary school children. This included questions about the children's smoking habits, their opinions of parents' and teachers' smoking habits, tobacco use in public places and the recognition rate of 16 food, drink, cigarette and toothpaste logos and brand names. The first, second and third applications of the questionnaire were performed with students who attended the same classes in the same primary schools, accounting for 772 children in June 1996, 1,157 children in February 1999 and 719 children in June 2006. Results: When these three periods were evaluated, it could be seen that the prevalence of having smoked significantly decreased (13.9%, 4%, 2.2%, pl0.001), as did the rate of purchasing cigarettes within the past week (36.6%, 29.1%, 15.8%, pl0.001). The disagreement with parents' and teachers' smoking habits and tobacco usage in public places increased significantly (pl0.001), while the recognition rates of some cigarette brand names and logos significantly decreased, specifically with regards to Marlboro, Camel and Samsun (pl0.001). Conclusion: The Turkish anti-tobacco law has had a positive effect on primary school children in Edirne, and therefore could be a model for other countries.

Children's smoking habits in an agricultural community in Japan and the importance of a no smoking program integrating family, school and community health

The object of this study is to establish a model of integration of the health promotion projects which have been planned separately by schools and communities so far in an agricultural area in Japan, to solve the problem of children's smoking. The subjects of the study were 10–15 y old schoolchildren and their parents. The questionnaires were completed by the children themselves at school and also by their parents at home, in July 1995. One fourth of the junior high school boys had ever tried smoking, while most of their parents did not notice that their children were smoking. More than half of the children who had ever tried smoking mainly acquired tobacco from their homes. One tenth of them were prompted to smoke by their fathers or other relatives. To develop a health promotion project for children which includes prevention of smoking, the provision of a health education program and an environment which encourages health are important for children. The project should also be community-based because participation of local inhabitants in the project gives it additional impetus. In order to promote the comprehensive health of children, we emphasize the importance of setting up a healthy district plan based on the health policy of the general community.

Children's smoking habits in an agricultural community in Japan and the importance of a no smoking program integrating family, school and community health

Children's smoking habits in an agricultural community in Japan and the importance of a no smoking program integrating family, school and community health

Smoking habits of Grampian school children and an evaluation of the Grampian Smoke Busters campaign

To determine the effect of a Smoke Busters club in reducing the numbers of children recruited to smoking, levels of smoking in Grampian amongst 11-14 year olds were determined at the launch of the club and again 22 months later, using a self-completion questionnaire. Initial smoking levels were similar to Scottish Office of Population Censuses and Surveys (OPCS) 1986 figures taken 2 years prior to the first Grampian survey. OPCS findings indicated that in Scotland smoking levels had remained fairly stable among girls and had increased among boys between 1986 and 1990. At the second survey in Grampian, smoking levels among girls and boys were lower than in Scotland generally, but it is not possible to know whether this was a result of the campaign or not. There was evidence of a relationship between the smoking habits of children and parents, particularly their mothers. Life-style questions showed that smokers were more likely to take part in activities characteristic of older teenagers and to prefer music which was associated with alternative, rebellious attitudes. Smoke Busters clubs aim to promote a non-smoking life-style amongst young teenagers. After 22 months of a Smoke Busters club, it was evident that at least 32.9% of the target group had joined the club at some point and that it was very popular with its members. Those who joined Smoke Busters were more than twice as likely to remain non-smokers as those who were non-members, but this might not be a function of cause and effect. A further survey is to be undertaken at 4 years after the launch of the club and may allow assessment of any longer-term effects of the club in Grampian.

Randomized Trial of Primary School Education against Smoking

Since 1974 an anti-smoking campaign consisting of a one-day educational intervention has been carried out in primary schools in Milan by the Italian League against Cancer (Milan Division). All but two of the 165 schools were randomized to evaluate the intervention effect. A total of 8549 children aged 9-10 were allocated to the intervention group and 8897 to the control group. Four years later a self-administered questionnaire was distributed in order to investigate the children's smoking habits. The proportion of smokers was 8.05% and 8.72% (p = 0.23) respectively for the intervention and control groups. It was concluded that sporadic educational intervention carried out during primary school years has little or no impact in preventing cigarette smoking in teenagers.

Evaluation of a family-linked smoking programme in primary schools

BASED on the findings of a large-scale survey of chil dren's smoking habits, carried out in Northern Eng land in 1982, a three-phase intervention programme was designed. This paper describes the effects of the first phase, aimed at nine and ten-year-olds, and their families. The effect was measured by a con trolled trial, involving 370 boys and 370 girls in a random sample of 32 primary schools. As a result of the intervention, there were significant decreases in smoking among boys and their fathers, but less posi tive results among girls and their fathers. Mothers showed no swing away from smoking. It was con cluded that a simple intervention package of this type, which is brought from school by the child and studied together with the parents, could be effective in helping to check family smoking. However, girls and their mothers appear to be harder to reach and influence than boys and their fathers. It is suggested that an intervention package of this kind could be used in general practice, as well as in schools.

77 SOCIAL FACTORS RELATED TO CIGARETTE SMOKING IN CHIL-DREN: THE MUSCATINE STUDY

Children (n=2194) ages 12 to 18 years were surveyed for cigarette smoking practice. A questionaire validated by a randomized question response, “bogus pipe-line”, and salivary thiocyanate analyses was administered. Regular smoking was present in 9.6% of children 12-15 years; 20% in children 15-18 years. A strong relationship of smoking behavior was observed between the number of significant others smoking:Of children not smoking 84% viewed smoking harmful to their health; of children regularly smoking 72% viewed smoking neither harmful nor beneficial. Parents and friends were thought to be permissive of smoking by regular smokers and discouraging by non-smokers. These data suggest that children's smoking habits strongly reflect the attitudes and behaviors of their parents and friends.

Long-term study of smoking by secondary schoolchildren.

We report the methodology and some first year results of a 5-year longitudinal study of smoking. In 6330 Derbyshire secondary schoolchildren aged 11-16 years, 6% of boys and 2.5% of girls were smoking one or more cigarettes per week. Higher rates of regular smoking and of children who had tried smoking were found in secondary modern schools, followed by middle, comprehensive and grammar schools. The results clarify the relationship between children's smoking habits and those of the parents and siblings. Boys were more likely to smoke if their fathers smoked and girls were more likely to smoke if their mothers smoked. Irrespective of parental smoking, whether or not siblings smoked had a great influence on whether the child would smoke. Having more money to spend, working at a part-time job, spending more evenings out with a mixed-sex peer group, at a youth club, or out dancing, and playing truant from school were all associated with an increased risk of smoking.

Smoking by primary schoolchildren prevalence and associated respiratory symptoms.

8682 children between 10 and 11-1/2 years of age who were in their final year of primary school in Derbyshire England completed a self-administered questionnaire on their respiratory symptoms and smoking behavior. The children were grouped as urban or rural according to the location of the school they attended. 7115 children (3636 boys and 3479 girls) completed the questionnaire. Regular smoking was reported by 6.9% of the boys and 2.6% of the girls and a higher proportion of boys experimented with cigarettes. 11.5% of the boys who admitted smoking regularly smoked 1 or more cigarettes a day compared with 4.4% for the girls. No significant differences were found between the smoking habits of children from urban or rural schools. 7% of the children reported a morning cough 23% reported a cough at some time of the day or night and 4.5% reported that the cough lasted for 3 months or more. Children attending schools in urban areas reported significantly more symptoms than those in rural areas. Smokers reported more respiratory symptoms than non-smokers regardless of urban or rural location of school. For each of the respiratory symptoms considered urban smokers reported the highest rate. Reported respiratory symptoms were found to be associated independently with smoking and with urban/rural location of school. As confirmed habitual smoking and early lung damage are known to cause severe respiratory disease in later life efforts must be made to persuade children at primary school not to start smoking.