Elucidating smoking behavior in developed and developing countries

Trade liberalization and the pervasive advertising of cigarettes have seriously endangered global health. The World Health Organization estimates that smoking causes 4,020,000 deaths annually. Although decreasing in developed countries, tobacco consumption is continually increasing in developing countries. Therefore, this study considers how smoking behavior models of developing and developed countries differ from each other. Concrete strategies are also proposed to control smoking. Ajzenʹs Theory of Planned Behavior is adopted as the research framework, comprising five dimensions: attitudinal belief, normative belief, control belief, behavior intention and behavior. The research subject includes the standard of living and the advancement of technique to define two groups, that is, developed county (the United States and Japan) and developing county (China and Taiwan). Five hundred questionnaires are distributed and then analyzed using structural equation modeling (SEM), to explore how the variables affect smoking behaviors. Results of this study provide a valuable reference for devising strategies to discourage smoking.