Area Disparity in Children's Perceptions of Access to Tobacco and Cigarette Purchasing Experiences in Taiwan

• Published in: The Journal of school health Vol. 84; no. 8; pp. 507 - 515
• Main Authors: Lee, Heng, Hsu, Chih-Cheng, Chen, Fu-Li, Yen, Yea-Yin, Lin, Pi-Li, Chiu, Yu-Wen, Lee, Chien-Hung, Peng, Wu-Der, Chen, Ted, Lu, Di-Lin, Huang, Hsiao-Ling
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Malden, USA Wiley Periodicals, Inc 01.08.2014; Wiley-Blackwell; Wiley; American School Health Association; Blackwell Publishing Ltd
• Subjects: accessibility; area disparity; Biological and medical sciences; Child; Children; Children & youth; Cigarettes; Commerce; Confidence Intervals; Cross-Sectional Studies; Demographic aspects; Drinking; Elementary Education; elementary school; Elementary School Students; Elementary Schools; Family Influence; Female; Foreign Countries; General aspects; Geographic Location; Health aspects; Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; Humans; Male; Medical sciences; Miscellaneous; Peer Influence; Perceptions; Performance Factors; Predictor Variables; Prevention and actions; Public health. Hygiene; Public health. Hygiene-occupational medicine; Purchasing; Regression (Statistics); Retailing; Schools; Smoking; Social aspects; Student Attitudes; Student Experience; Student Surveys; Surveys and Questionnaires; Taiwan; Television Commercials; Tobacco; Tobacco Products - supply & distribution; Taiwan; Asia; Human; Social perception; Accessibility; Tobacco smoking; School environment; Cigarette; elementary school; Tobacco; area disparity; children; smoking; Purchases; Disparity; Child; accessibility
• ISSN: 0022-4391; 1746-1561; 1746-1561
• DOI: 10.1111/josh.12173

ABSTRACT BACKGROUND Adolescents who perceive easy access to tobacco are more likely to acquire cigarettes and experience smoking. This study assesses area disparities in perceptions of access to tobacco and cigarette purchasing experiences among schoolchildren. METHODS Data on children's tobacco‐related variables were obtained from the Control of School‐Aged Children Smoking Study Survey in Taiwan. A stratified random sample of 65 primary schools was included. Polytomous logistic regression analyzed factors associated with tobacco accessibility and purchasing experiences. RESULTS More than half of the children reported that tobacco retailers often or always sold cigarettes to them. Rural and mountainous children were more likely to have access to cigarettes (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 2.01 and 3.01, respectively) and have cigarette purchasing experiences (AOR = 3.06 and 13.76, respectively). Cigarette purchasing from retailers (AOR = 1.84) was significantly associated with children's perceptions of access to tobacco. The factors associated with cigarette purchasing experiences were families smoking (AOR = 8.90), peers smoking (AOR = 2.22), frequent exposure to entertainer smoking on TV and in films (AOR = 2.15), and perceived access to tobacco (AOR = 1.51). CONCLUSIONS The health department should strictly enforce laws regarding retailers selling tobacco to underage, particularly in remote areas. Schools can reinforce tobacco‐use prevention messages.