A Study on Adolescents' Smoking Behavior and the Status and Need of Smoking Prevention Education for Adolescents

An, Ok Hee; Kwon, Young Mi; Jeon, Mi Soon

Abstract

PURPOSE
This study was to identify adolescents' smoking behavior and the status and need of smoking prevention education for adolescents. METHOD: The subjects were 375 students selected through convenient sampling from three middle schools and three high schools in Jeonbuk. Data were collected through a questionnaire survey and analyzed using SPSS 10.1. RESULT: The smoking rate was 20.8% and 83.7% the students experienced smoking prevention education. Students were educated by a special instructor (39.8%) or a health teacher (26.8%). Among the teaching methods, lecture was 69.4%, but some students (30.7%) wanted anti-smoking school. Among the students, 85.0% answered they want smoking prevention education and 46.7% said that it should be covered in regular curriculum.
CONCLUSION
High interest and continuity are emphasized for the success of smoking prevention education. In addition, various teaching methods need to be developed including anti-smoking school, lectures, counselling and long term education program. Moreover, smoking prevention education programs need to be covered in regular curriculum.