Cigarette Smoking Experience and its related Socio-demographic and Environmental Risk Factors in High School Boy Students, Shiraz- Iran

Abstract

<strong><em>Background: </em></strong>Several environmental and psychosocial risk factors are known for adolescent smoking as the single cause of preventable diseases and premature death. This cross-sectional study aimed to determine the prevalence of cigarette smoking, socio-demographic factors associated with cigarette smoking (age, education level, parents' job, and family's socioeconomic statues), and the role of family and friends in cigarette smoking by high school students.<br /><strong><em>Materials and Methods:</em></strong> In this cross-sectional study which was conducted in Shiraz, Iran, 900 high school boy students (grades 9-11) were selected through multistage random cluster sampling. They responded a researcher designed anonymous questionnaire about smoking experiences of themselves- and their friends and family members. Chi-square and Mann-Whitney U test and Binary logistic regression analysis were used to analysis of the data, using the SPSS version 17.0.<br /><strong><em>Results: </em></strong>The mean age of the participants was 16.11 (1.16) years and 19.7% of the students were ever smokers. Students' higher educational grade (P=0.001), fathers' lower education level (P=0.03), live with one parent or people other than parents (P=0.024), father's, siblings', and friends' smoking, and family members' cigarette smoking at home (P<0.001), were significantly related to the students' smoking experience. Indeed, having smoker siblings was the strongest predictor of smoking among the students.<br /><strong><em>Conclusion: </em></strong>Cigarette smoking is a public health concern in all families from different socio-economic status. Special attention to orphans and children of divorce, setting rules about cigarette smoking in families, monitoring and being aware of offspring's and their friends' behavior can be recommended.