Cigarette Smoking Experience and its related Socio-demographic and Environmental Risk Factors in High School Boy Students, Shiraz- Iran

Background: Several environmental and psychosocial risk factors are known for adolescent smoking as the single cause of preventable diseases and premature death. This cross-sectional study aimed to determine the prevalence of cigarette smoking, socio-demographic factors associated with cigarette smoking (age, education level, parents’ job, and family’s socioeconomic statues), and the role of family and friends in cigarette smoking by high school students. Materials and Methods: In this cross-sectional study which was conducted in Shiraz, Iran, 900 high school boy students (grades 9-11) were selected through multistage random cluster sampling. They responded a researcher designed anonymous questionnaire about smoking experiences of themselvesand their friends and family members. Chi-square and Mann-Whitney U test and Binary logistic regression analysis were used to analysis of the data, using the SPSS version 17.0. Results: The mean age of the participants was 16.11 (1.16) years and 19.7% of the students were ever smokers. Students’ higher educational grade (P=0.001), fathers’ lower education level (P=0.03), live with one parent or people other than parents (P=0.024), father’s, siblings’, and friends’ smoking, and family members’ cigarette smoking at home (P<0.001), were significantly related to the students’ smoking experience. Indeed, having smoker siblings was the strongest predictor of smoking among the students. Conclusion: Cigarette smoking is a public health concern in all families from different socioeconomic status. Special attention to orphans and children of divorce, setting rules about cigarette smoking in families, monitoring and being aware of offspring’s and their friends’ behavior can be recommended.