Age at Smoking Initiation in Slovenia
Helena Koprivnikar1, Aleš Korošec1
1National Institute of Public Health, Trubarjeva 2, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia.
Zdravstveno Varstvo
|September 21, 2016
Summary
Most Slovenians start smoking in adolescence, with the average age of initiation decreasing over time. This highlights the need for early, sustained smoking prevention programs for youth.
Area of Science:
- Public Health
- Epidemiology
- Sociology
Background:
- Smoking initiation predominantly occurs during adolescence and young adulthood.
- Limited data exists on smoking initiation ages in Slovenia.
- Understanding these patterns is crucial for targeted public health interventions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To analyze age at smoking initiation in the Slovenian population.
- To investigate differences in initiation age based on gender, age groups, education, social class, and region.
Main Methods:
- Cross-sectional survey data from 'Health-related behaviour 2012' was utilized.
- Analysis included 4591 Slovenian ever-smokers aged 25-74.
- Data focused on self-reported age at smoking initiation.
Main Results:
- 96.7% of Slovenian ever-smokers initiated smoking by age 25; 71.0% by age 18.
- The average age of smoking initiation was 17.7 years.
- Males initiated smoking earlier than females, with a more pronounced decrease over time in females. Significant regional and educational differences in initiation age were observed among females, but not males.
Conclusions:
- Smoking initiation is concentrated in adolescent and young adult years.
- A declining trend in the age of smoking initiation necessitates robust youth prevention programs.
- A comprehensive national tobacco control strategy is vital to curb marketing and reduce smoking prevalence.
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