Impact of tobacco awareness on tobacco susceptibility among junior middle school students in Shanghai

ObjectiveTo investigate the tobacco cognitive status and factors associated with susceptibility to smoking among junior middle school students in Shanghai.

MethodsA total of 3 155 middle school students selected from 8 surveillance sites in Shanghai City, through multi-stage stratified cluster sampling were investigated with self-filling questionnaires.Data were analyzed by using the complex survey module of SPSS 22.0 after it was weighted.

ResultsThe rate of those thinking that smoking would make him/her comfortable, feeling smoking attractive, feeing hard to quit smoking, considering secondhand smoke (SHS) exposure harmful to health was 5.1%, 8.2%, 34.1%, 83.2%, respectively.In those who had never been exposed to tobacco, their rate of susceptibility to smoking was 7.0%, which was higher in boys (8.6%) than in girls (5.4%)(P=0.005).Those who reported SHS exposure at home, at school, on public transport had higher susceptibility to smoking than non-exposed ones.Mother smoking(OR=2.567, 95%CI:1.394-4.725), close friends smoking(OR=2.596, 95%CI:1.336-5.046) were the risk factors for susceptibility to smoking.Anti-tobacco media exposure and feeling smoking less attractive were protective factors correspondingly.

ConclusionIt is suggested that school based intervention measures should integrate both self-perception and social environmental factors to prevent tobacco exposure among youths in future.