Smoking among Dutch elementary schoolchildren: gender-specific predictors
M Ausems1, I Mesters, G van Breukelen
1The Maastricht Health Research Institute for Prevention and Care (CAPHRI), Department of Health Education and Promotion, Faculty of Health Medicine and Life Sciences, The Netherlands.
Health Education Research
|April 9, 2009
Summary
This study found shared risk factors for adolescent smoking initiation and continuation in Dutch schoolchildren. Prevention programs should address social modeling, attitudes, and self-efficacy, with family involvement suggested.
Area of Science:
- Public Health
- Adolescent Health
- Behavioral Science
Background:
- Adolescent smoking rates are a significant public health concern.
- Higher smoking rates in females compared to males suggest a need for gender-specific interventions.
- Understanding risk factors for smoking initiation and continuation is crucial for effective prevention.
Purpose of the Study:
- To prospectively examine risk factors for smoking initiation and continuation among Dutch schoolchildren.
- To identify potential gender-specific predictors for targeted prevention strategies.
- To inform the development of effective school-based smoking prevention programs.
Main Methods:
- Prospective cohort study (1997-2002) involving 3205 Dutch elementary schoolchildren.
- Data collected via written questionnaires.
- Analysis performed using multilevel logistic regression.
Main Results:
- At baseline, smoking prevalence was lower in girls than boys; at follow-up, initiation was also lower in girls.
- Shared risk factors for initiation included age, parental/sibling modeling, social circle modeling, and perceived pro-tobacco pressure.
- Parent origin was the only gender-specific predictor for initiation; continuation risk factors included older age, increased modeling, fewer perceived disadvantages, and lower self-efficacy.
Conclusions:
- Social modeling, smoking attitudes, and self-efficacy are key targets for school-based smoking prevention.
- Family-directed programs and booster sessions are recommended.
- While parent origin was a gender-specific predictor for initiation, it is not amenable to intervention.
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