Abstract
Background: Cigarette smoking is a culturally accepted behavior among adult males in China. However, there is limited information on smoking among Chinese adolescents, particularly the information on the relationship between psychological well-being and smoking behavior among this population. Purpose: This study explored associations between three psychological factors—anxiety, hostility, and depressive symptoms—and smoking behavior among Chinese adolescents. Methods: The data presented in this study are a cross-sectional slice from a longitudinal investigation of tobacco use and lifestyle carried out in China. The study population consisted of 4,724 7th and 11th grade students from seven large cities in China. Results: Odds ratios showed that anxiety, hostility, and depressive symptoms were significantly associated with a higher risk of lifetime smoking for both boys and girls. Conclusion: Much like their Western counterparts, Chinese adolescents face developmental stress. The resulting distress may increase their risk for substance use and other health-risk behaviors.
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The China Seven Cities Study Research Team: T Bo, the Qingdao Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Qingdao, China; B. Chen, the Hangzhou Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Hangzhou, China; L. M. Lee, School of Public Health, Beijing University, Beijing, China; Y. Li, the Wuhan Health Bureau, Wuhan, China; R. X. Wang, the Shenyang Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Shenyang, China; Z. J. Wang, the Harbin Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Harbin, China; Y. Wei, the Chengdu Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Chengdu, China; P. J. Yang, the Kunming Institute of Health Education, Kunming, China.
This study was supported by the University of Southern California Transdisciplinary Tobacco Use Research Center (TTURC), funded by the National Institutes of Health (grant #1 P50 CA84735-01). The authors thank the China Seven Cities Study Research Team and project staff for assistance with data collection and data management.
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Weiss, J.W., Palmer, P.H., Chou, CP. et al. Association between psychological factors and adolescent smoking in seven cities in China. Int. J. Behav. Med. 15, 149–156 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1080/10705500801929825
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/10705500801929825