Factors Associated with Smoking Behavior Among Female Adolescents in Bangkok Metropolitan

Abstract

The survey was to describe smoking behavior and the factors associated with smoking
behavior among female adolescents in Bangkok Metropolitan. According to the concept PRECEDE
model, contributing factors composed of predisposing, enabling and reinforcing factors. and
factors. This study was in female adolescents aged 15-25 years old in Bangkok and using multistage stratified random sampling. Sample size of 1,047 were collected data by interview. Chisquare test was used to analyze association between independent and dependent variable.
The study found that young women were current smokers for 10.2 percent and classified
as daily smokers and occasional smokers by 3.2 percent and 7.0 percent. The study of an
association showed that, the demographic factors composed of marital status, education, main
occupation and income were associated with a statistically significant (p <0.05). For predisposing
factors, perceived harm of cigarette smokers and exposure to second-hand smoke, smoking value
among young women under the age of 20 years or above 20 years, and opinions on the campaign
for women to stop smoking were all associated with female smoking. The enabling factors were
drinking alcohol and visiting entertainment venues during the past three months were associated
with smoking among them. For reinforcing factors, this study found that female adolescents who
had close friends smoke, and family members’ smoking were associated with smoking among
female adolescents respectively significant (p <0.001). Thus, academic institutions and the media
should help in changing the wrong values about women smoking and should be controlled
strictly smoking in entertainment venues.