Survey on Adolescents' Knowledge and Attitudes as related to Temptation toward Cigarette Smoking

Ahn, Hye Young; Lee, Joohyun

Abstract

PURPOSE
The purpose of this study was to identify the relationship of knowledge and attitude to temptation toward cigarette smoking in adolescents. METHODS: A survey was conducted using a 52-item questionnaire in 2 high school settings. Descriptive statistics, t-tests, ANOVA, post hoc analysis and Pearson correlation coefficients were used with SPSS WIN version 14.0 to analyze the data. RESULTS: There were significant differences in attitude toward smoking and smoking temptation depending on gender, academic performance, religion, current smoking status, parental responses toward smoking, initiation of smoking, and the number of friends who smoke (p<.001). The level of smoking knowledge was not related to any of general characteristics as well as attitude toward smoking and smoking temptation. However, negative attitude toward smoking was moderately correlated with reduced smoking temptation (r=-.608, p<.001). CONCLUSION: Adolescents' attitude toward smoking and coping ability against smoking temptation were influenced by various factors related to smoking behavior and social situations, rather than by the level of smoking knowledge. In order to develop an effective smoking prevention and cessation program for adolescents, various strategies to change attitudes toward smoking should be included.