Prevalence and Determinants of Male Adolescents’ Smoking in Iran: An Explanation Based on the Theory of Planned Behavior

Abstract

BackgroundAdolescent smoking problem has still remained as a public health concern, but factors that attributing to the initiation of adolescent smoking are not well known in Iran.ObjectivesThe aim of this study is to estimate the prevalence of smoking, and its associations among high school male adolescents in Iran, in the context of the theory of planned behavior (TPB).Patients and MethodsThis was a cross-sectional study involving male adolescent students (high school) in the city of Zarandieh, Iran. A multiple-stage sampling protocol was used. The participants completed an anonymous, voluntary, and self-report questionnaire. Prevalence was estimated, and demographic variables, psychological factors, and the theory of planned behavior components were used to indicate factors contributing to adolescents’ cigarette smoking.ResultsIn all, 365 students were entered the study. The mean age of respondents was 16.49 ± 1.11 years. The prevalence of current smoking was 15.1%. The result obtained from logistic regression analysis revealed that all theory of planned behavior (TPB) components [knowledge (OR = 0.75; 95% CI: (0.59-0.97), attitude (OR = 0.75; 95% CI: (0.65-0.86), self-efficacy (OR = 0.82; 95% CI: (0.71-0.95), subjective norms (OR = 0.84; 95% CI: (0.72-0.98)] were significant predating factors for adolescents smoking habits. In addition, having parents who smoke (OR = 4.75; 95% CI: (1.38-12.35), smoking friends (OR = 3.76; 95% CI: (1.20-11.76), and smoking siblings (OR = 4.21; 95% CI: (1.17-11.16) were significant contributing factors to adolescents’ cigarette smoking behavior.ConclusionsThe results showed that the prevalence of cigarette smoking in adolescents was high, and the theory of planned behavior (TPB) components were significant predictors of cigarette smoking. It seems that interventions targeting adolescents’ smoking habits might benefit using the TPB model.

Factors Associated With Tobacco Smoking Among Male Adolescents: the Role of Psychologic, Behavioral, and Demographic Risk Factors

“…In addition, Bashirian et al (6) and Bidel et al (21) showed that 11.1% and 11.4% of high school students respectively in Hamadan and Ilam experienced smoking. Nonetheless, the result of current study is consistent with the findings of the studies of Mohammadkhani (22), Karimy et al (11), and Mohammadi-Zeidi and Pakpour-Hajiagha (23) that reported the prevalence of tobacco smoking among Iranian adolescents to be 14.3% to 15.1%. It appears that the passage of time, change in the age pattern of consumption, rate of access to cigarette, demographic and geographic differences, and cultural and economic differences are some of the reasons for the different reported rates between the present study and some of the other similar studies.…”

“…In addition to physical damages, Smoking jeopardizes mental health and is the underlying cause of addiction to opiates. This emphasizes the significance of preventing, reducing, and eliminating this global problem (11).…”

Refusal Self Efficacy, Self Esteem, Smoking Refusal Skills and Water Pipe (Hookah) Smoking among Iranian Male Adolescents

“…Similar associations may exist with bladder cancer, oral dysplasia, and coronary heart disease (Akl et al, 2010a). According to a recent study in Iran, the prevalence of self-reported WP smoking among adolescent was 54.9% (Karimy et al, 2012b).…”

“…for instance, In study conducted in Saudi Arabia students by Amin et al (Amin et al, 2010), and also in study of Jawid et al in the Pakistan students (Jawaid et al, 2008) most WP users believed that its use was neither as harmful nor as addictive as cigarette. Positive beliefs about smoking have also been associated with youth smoking (Karimy et al, 2012b). In general, adolescent smokers have less knowledge about the negative consequences of smoking than their nonsmoking counterparts, discount the addictive property of tobacco, and negate the risks of experimental smoking (Karimy et al, 2012a).…”

Trends in Smoking among University Students between 2005-2012 in Sakarya, Turkey

“…In our study population, the odds of being smoker were high if a student was male, had smoker mother/ sibling/peer, had low school success, was of low familial income, or lived at places except for dormitories although these correlates of being smoker are not peculiar to Turkish university students. All around the world tobacco consumption studies revealed these associates of smoking (Kabir, 2007;Binu et al, 2010;Cai et al, 2012;Reda et al, 2012;Hussain et al, 2013;Kaleta et al, 2013;Karimy et al, 2013).…”