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Poster presentation:
Smoking in early adolescence: evidence from the 1993 birth cohort study
A M Menezes
Abstract
Introduction:
In spite of all accumulated evidence on the harmful effects of smoking on health, prevalence of smoking is still high in several areas, particularly in low and middle income countries. There is evidence that smoking rates are increasing among women and adolescents. Smoking experience in adolescence is a strong predictor of tobacco addiction in adulthood. The aim of this paper was to evaluate the prevalence and factors associated with tobacco use in adolescents aged 10-12 years participants of the 1993 Pelotas Birth Cohort Study.
Method:
All children Born in 1993 in Pelotas, Brazil were included in a prospective health study. In 2004-5, cohort members were sought for a follow-up visit. Adolescents and mothers were interviewed. A confidential questionnaire was also applied to adolescents, including a section on smoking. Smoking experience was defined at have experimented at least one cigarette in life.
Results: Follow-up rate was 87.5%, and 4,452 cohort members were interviewed in 2004-5. Mean age was 11.3 years. Fifty eight adolescents did not answer the question on smoking experience. Out of the 4394 respondents, 162 (3.7%; 95%CI 3.1; 4.2) have ever experimented smoking. Of these, approximately half smoked the first cigarette before reaching 10 years of age. Seventy three cohort members reported to be daily smokers. In multivariable analysis, the following variables were positively associated with smoking experience: male sex, maternal smoking during pregnancy, living without the biological father in the household, bad relationship with the mother, being beaten by the parents, belong to a family which fights more than others, maternal smoking in 2004-5, bad influences, participation in fights in the previous year, history of attempting to run away from home, and experience with alcoholic beverages. The association was negative for socioeconomic level.
Conclusions:
In a prospective cohort, variables related to the family and habits of the adolescent presented a strong effect on smoking experience in early adolescence. Because experimentation of tobacco in adolescence is associated with a marked increase for tobacco addiction in adulthood, interventions should focus on this group.
Biographies
Menezes,AM - Professor of Respiratory Medicine; vice-coordinator of the Post-Graduate Course of Epidemiology at the Federal University of Pelotas, Brazil;
Araujo, CLP - PhD nutriotionist; Post-Graduate Course of Epidemiology at the Federal University of Pelotas, Brazil;
Goncalves, H - PhD anthropologist; Post-Graduate Course of Epidemiology at the Federal University of Pelotas, Brazil;
Anselmi L - MsC in Psychology; Post-Graduate Course of Epidemiology at the Federal University of Pelotas, Brazil;
Hallal PC - PhD; fellowship at the Post-Graduate Course of Epidemiology at the Federal University of Pelotas, Brazil;
Title Paper: Smoking in early adolescence: evidence from the 1993 birth cohort study
Author 1: Menezes, AM
Professor of Respiratory Medicine; Post-Graduate Program of Epidemiology; UFPEL
Av. Domingos de Almeida, 1146/25
Pelotas
96085-470
Brazil
Author 2: Araujo, CLP
Author 3: Goncalves, H
Author 4: Anselmi, L
Author 5: Hallal, PC
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