INFLUENCES OF PARENTS AND PEERS ON ADOLESCENT SMOKING INITIATION: FINDINGS FROM A LONGITUDINAL STUDY IN KOTA TINGGI DISTRICT, JOHOR, MALAYSIA
Studies have shown that parents and peers are among the dominant factors that contribute to smoking initiation among non-smoking adolescents. The paucity of this information in Malaysia warrants a longitudinal study to determine the actual factors associated smoking initiation. The study aims to add...
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Published in | Malaysian journal of public health medicine Vol. 21; no. 2; pp. 14 - 21 |
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Main Authors | , , , , , , , , , , |
Format | Journal Article |
Language | English |
Published |
28.08.2021
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Online Access | Get full text |
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Summary: | Studies have shown that parents and peers are among the dominant factors that contribute to smoking initiation among non-smoking adolescents. The paucity of this information in Malaysia warrants a longitudinal study to determine the actual factors associated smoking initiation. The study aims to address the gaps in our knowledge on the factors that associated with smoking initiation among non-smoking school-going adolescents. We carried out a longitudinal study among non-smoking secondary school-going adolescents in Kota Tinggi district, Johor. A representative sample of 1682 was selected via multi-stage sampling and respondents were followed-up for a period of one year. A pre-validated questionnaire was used to collect data from the selected respondents and multivariable logistic regression was employed to determine the factors associated with smoking initiation among non-smoking school-going adolescents. Approximately 1 in 10 non-smoking school-going adolescents-initiated smoking at the end of follow-up. Having peers and a father who smokes were significantly associated with smoking in univariate analysis, similarly, a relationship was also observed in multivariable analysis between parents who smoked with smoking initiation after the effect of other independent variables were controlled (Adjusted relative risk: 1.81, 95% CI 1.06-2.95). The study revealed that parental influence was more dominant than peer influence with regard to smoking initiation. Therefore, intervention programmes should involve parents/guardians to enhance their chances of success and reduce the incidence of smoking among non-smoking school-going adolescents. |
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ISSN: | 1675-0306 2590-3829 |
DOI: | 10.37268/mjphm/vol.21/no.2/art.620 |