Abstract
Factors which may influence boys and girls aged between 10 and 121/2 years to start smoking were studied. Information was obtained from 491 schoolchildren, their parents, and headteachers. In their own view and that of their headteachers children who did not smoke were academically better than smokers. Children who smoked were more likely than non-smokers to have a parent and siblings of the same sex who smoked. No association was found between the child's own smoking and that of parents and siblings of the opposite sex. Smokers were more likely to have friends who smoked. Most children did not think smoking was enjoyable or desirable and many thought it bad for health, irrespective of their own smoking habits. The majority thought people of their own age smoked to show off.
Full text
PDF
Selected References
These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.
- Bewley B. R., Bland J. M., Harris R. Factors associated with the starting of cigarette smoking by primary school children. Br J Prev Soc Med. 1974 Feb;28(1):37–44. doi: 10.1136/jech.28.1.37. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Bewley B. R., Bland J. M. Smoking and respiratory symptoms in two groups of schoolchildren. Prev Med. 1976 Mar;5(1):63–69. doi: 10.1016/0091-7435(76)90009-8. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Bland J. M., Bewley B. R., Day I. Primary schoolboys: image of self and smoker. Br J Prev Soc Med. 1975 Dec;29(4):262–266. doi: 10.1136/jech.29.4.262. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- CARTWRIGHT A., THOMSON J. G. Young smokers. An attitude study among schoolchildren, touching also on parental influence. Br J Prev Soc Med. 1960 Jan;14:28–34. doi: 10.1136/jech.14.1.28. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Laoye J. A., Creswell W. H., Jr, Stone D. B. A cohort study of 1,205 secondary school smokers. J Sch Health. 1972 Jan;42(1):47–52. doi: 10.1111/j.1746-1561.1972.tb05175.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Newman I. M., Ang J., Irwin R. P., Smith J. M. Adolescent cigarette smoking. N Z Med J. 1970 Sep;72(460):161–166. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- O'Rourke A., Wilson-Davis K. Smoking and school children. J R Coll Gen Pract. 1970 Dec;20(101):354–360. [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Palmer A. B. Some variables contributing to the onset of cigarette smoking among junior high school students. Soc Sci Med. 1970 Sep;4(3):359–366. doi: 10.1016/0037-7856(70)90008-9. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]