Are Adolescents likely to Start Smoking Early if Their Parents are Smokers? A Study of Jamaican High School Students

Abstract

Background: The prevalence of cigarette smoking is high among adolescents in the Caribbean, including Jamaica.<br />Age of initiation of cigarette smoking varies among adolescents. A number of factors has been reported to influence<br />early age of initiation of cigarette smoking. The aim of this study was to determine if parental smoking status was<br />associated with early age of onset of cigarette smoking among Jamaican adolescents. Methods: Data from the Jamaican<br />National School Survey (NSS) conducted in 2013 were analysed. The nationally representative sample comprised<br />of 3,365 students enrolled in 8th grade to 12th grade in 38 public and private secondary schools. Descriptive and<br />inferential statistics were computed using SPSS. Results: The mean age of initiation of cigarette smoking among the<br />subjects was 12.4years [SD: 2.69]. There was no significant association between parental cigarette smoking status and<br />the age of initiation of cigarette smoking among the adolescents (female X2 = 0.753, P = 0.861; male X2 = 6.953, P =<br />0.073). Logistic regression analysis showed that parental smoking status was not a predictor of early age of initiation<br />of cigarette smoking among the adolescents (father/ guardian AOR= 0.81, 95% CI= 0.56- 1.11; mother/guardian AOR=<br />0.96, 95% CI= 0.44 – 2.10; both parent AOR= 0.49, 95%CI= 0.22- 1.07). However, having a parent with secondary<br />education was a risk factor for early initiation of smoking (AOR= 1.71, 95%CI= 1.13-2.57), while being in 8th<br />grade was a protective factor against early age of initiation of cigarette smoking (AOR= 0.43, 95% CI= 0.23 - 0.80).<br />Conclusion: Parental smoking cigarette smoking status was not a predictor of early age of cigarette smoking initiation<br />among Jamaican adolescents.