Open AccessINFLUENCES OF PARENTS AND PEERS ON ADOLESCENT SMOKING INITIATION: FINDINGS FROM A LONGITUDINAL STUDY IN KOTA TINGGI DISTRICT, JOHOR, MALAYSIA
Author(s) -
Lim Kuang Hock,
Lim Hui Li,
Sumarni Mohd Ghazali,
Cheong Yoon Ling,
Chee Cheong Kee,
Heng Pei Pei,
Teh Chien Huey,
Tan Cia Vei,
Mohd Hazilas Mat Hashim,
Yong Kang Cheah,
Lim Jia Hui
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
malaysian journal of public health medicine
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.16
H-Index - 9
ISSN - 1675-0306
DOI - 10.37268/mjphm/vol.21/no.2/art.620
Subject(s) - medicine , longitudinal study , logistic regression , intervention (counseling) , incidence (geometry) , peer influence , demography , environmental health , psychology , developmental psychology , psychiatry , physics , pathology , sociology , optics
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.