Smoking Experimentation among Elementary School Students in China: Influences from Peers, Families, and the School Environment

Abstract

The aim of this study was to investigate experimentation with smoking among primary school students in China. Data were acquired from a recent survey of 4,073 students in grades 4 to 6 (ages 9–12) in 11 primary schools of Ningbo City. The questions were adapted from the Global Youth Tobacco Survey (GYTS). Results suggest that although the Chinese Ministry of Education (MOE) encourages smoke-free schools, experimentation with cigarettes remains a serious problem among primary school students in China. Peers, family members, and the school environment play important roles in influencing smoking experimentation among students. Having a friend who smoked, seeing a family member smoke, and observing a teacher smoking on campus predicted a higher risk of experimentation with smoking; the exposure to anti-tobacco materials at school predicted a lower risk of experimentation with smoking. The evidence suggests that public health practitioners and policymakers should seek to ensure the implementation of smoke-free policies and that intervention should target young people, families, and communities to curb the commencement of smoking among children and adolescents in China.

Self-efficacy as a moderator in the relationship between peer pressure and family smoking, and adolescent cigarette smoking behavior

“…Parents' smoking history may be an important predictor of adolescent smoking (Blokland et al, 2004;Otten et al, 2007). Evidence shows that family smoking (parental and sibling smoking) have been strongly associated with smoking among adolescent and they supports the suggestion that family cigarette smoking increases the likelihood of cigarette smoking behavior among adolescents (Baheiraei, 2013;Gilman et al, 2009;Huang et al, 2013;Khuder et al, 2008;National Institute for Health and Welfare, 2012;Otten et al, 2007).…”

“…As a result of peer pressure, adolescents demonstrate many unwanted and negative behaviors, one of which is cigarette smoking. Hence, the smoking behavior of the existing members of the same age group provides enough reasons for the new adolescent members to start smoking (Ho et al, 2012;Huang et al, 2013). Each individual might believe that this is an effective way to be accepted by the group and to present himself as a grown-up.…”

“…Each individual might believe that this is an effective way to be accepted by the group and to present himself as a grown-up. At the same time, it is documented that the main reasons of youngsters for starting smoking are the encouragement of friends, adapting to the group, and imitating others (Kiran-Esen, 2003;Huang et al, 2013;Nizami et al, 2011). Moreover, as declared by Ho et al (2012) and Baheiraei et al (2013), the smoking behavior of parents, brothers/sisters, and peers is an important risk factor for smoking behavior.…”

“…Moreover, as declared by Ho et al (2012) and Baheiraei et al (2013), the smoking behavior of parents, brothers/sisters, and peers is an important risk factor for smoking behavior. On the whole, the results of a large number of studies indicate that peer pressure is usually a major factor to start smoking and continue this behavior (Khuder et al, 2008;Skinner & Haggerty, 2009;Baheiraei et al, 2013;Ho et al, 2012;Huang et al, 2013;Nizami et al, 2011;Uslu, 2013). Hence, environmental factors play a crucial role in adolescents' smoking behavior through increasing the likelihood of their potential addiction to smoking.…”

Closing the knowledge gap in secondhand smoke exposure among children: employment of a five-minute household survey in China

“…23 Applying this proportion to our results, our revised prevalence for face-to-face SHS exposure is 57% in children under 7 years of age, 59% in children 7e12 years of age, and 56% among children 13e17 years age. Our estimated 56% prevalence of household SHS exposure over the last 30 days for children 13e17 years of age is comparable to the results of the China GYTS study in which 44% of students 13e15 years of age reported that people had smoked in their presence at home in the previous seven days.…”