Psychosocial predictors of smoking among secondary school students in Al-Hassa, Saudi Arabia

• Published in: Journal of behavioral medicine Vol. 34; no. 5; pp. 339 - 350
• Main Authors: Amin, Tarek Tawfik, Amr, Mostafa Abdel Monhem, Zaza, Burhan Omar
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Boston Springer US 01.10.2011; Springer; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Addictive behaviors; Adolescent; Adolescent Behavior; Adolescents; Adult and adolescent clinical studies; Anxiety; Anxiety - epidemiology; Anxiety disorders; Biological and medical sciences; Cigarettes; Comorbidity; Depression - epidemiology; Developing countries; Drugs and youth; Families & family life; Family Medicine; Female; General Practice; Health behavior; Health Psychology; High schools; Humans; LDCs; Male; Males; Medical research; Medical sciences; Medicine; Medicine & Public Health; Medicine, Experimental; Nicotine; Persons; Prevalence; Psychiatric services; Psychological aspects; Psychology; Psychology, Adolescent; Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry; Psychopathology. Psychiatry; Questionnaires; Relatives; Risk Factors; Rural Population; Saudi Arabia - epidemiology; Secondary school students; Secondary schools; Self esteem; Smoking; Smoking - epidemiology; Smoking - psychology; Smoking and youth; Social aspects; Surveys; Teenagers; Tobacco; Tobacco smoking; Tobacco Use Disorder - epidemiology; Tobacco Use Disorder - psychology; Tobacco, tobacco smoking; Toxicology; Urban Population; Young Adult; Saudi Arabia; Asia; Arab countries; Saudi Arabia; Secondary schools; Smoking predictors; Adolescents; Smoking; Social environment; Human; Prevalence; Secondary education; Mental health; Tobacco smoking; Student; Psychosocial factor; Epidemiology; Adolescent; Predictive factor; Public health
• ISSN: 0160-7715; 1573-3521
• DOI: 10.1007/s10865-011-9319-7

The objective of this study was to determine the prevalence and determinants of the current smoking status among secondary school students in Al-Hassa, Saudi Arabia. A total of 1,652 secondary school adolescents were selected by multistage proportionate sampling method. Data collection was carried out through self-administered anonymous questionnaire including: Arabic version of the Global Youth Tobacco Survey, modified Fagerstrom Test for Nicotine Dependence and Patient Health Questionnaire to asses for anxiety and depressive disorders. This study revealed that the prevalence of current smokers was 21.7. Seventy-one percent of current cigarette smokers were minimally nicotine dependent. Major depressive and anxiety disorders were significantly higher among current smokers. Hierarchical regression analysis shows that, male, older age, smoking of close relatives and friends, anxiety disorders and socializing motives were statistically significant determinants of current smoking status among the included adolescents. Family members should be made aware of the detrimental influence their smoking behavior has on their youth. Counseling and preventive psychiatric services should be an integral part of the clinical facilities caring for secondary school students.