Factors Influencing Cigarette Smoking Among University Students in China

Purpose

China, one of the world largest tobacco markets, has 66% of its men and 3.08% of its women smoke. This is approximately 300 million men actively smoking everyday in China, which kills approximately 700,000 Chinese every year. This study is designed to examine the factors associated with cigarette smoking among university students in China and to help health educators develop effective anti-smoking education programs for Chinese youth.

Methods

A cross-sectional survey design was employed in this study. Using the convenient sampling method, 472 students enrolled in two large universities in Northern China in Fall 2006 were invited to complete the self-administered paper-pencil survey (response rate: 94%). Descriptive statistics and inferential statistics were used in data analyses. The Cronbach alpha for the attitudinal subscale is .86.

Analysis/Results

Descriptive statistics and inferential statistics were used in data analyses. The Cronbach alpha for the attitudinal subscale is .86.Of the 446 participants who completed the survey, 52.7% were males, 47.3% were females, and 85% were between ages 20 and 25. Although smoking is not allowed on campus, 17.7% of the participants identified themselves as smokers, 61.1% indicated that their fathers smoke, and 3.9% reported that their mothers smoke. Significantly larger proportion of male participants than females (30.9% vs. 2.9%) reported being a smoker (χ2=59.56, p<.0001). Significantly larger proportion of participants whose father or mother smoke (21.5% vs. 11.6%, χ2=7.02, p<.01 for having a smoker father, 47.1% vs. 16.5%, χ2=10.52, p<.01 for having a smoker mother) indicated being a smoker than those whose parents were non-smokers. Attitudes toward smoking, perceived influence and expectations from peers, significant others, and the society were found to be associated with whether a participant would smoke.

Conclusions

The fact that smoking is prohibited on university campuses in China might have contributed to the significantly lower than reported rate of smokers among male participants in this study. However, the rates of smokers among participants' fathers and mothers are similar to those reported in the literature. Cigarette smoking appears to be influenced by participant's sex, smoke status of their parent(s), their attitudes toward smoke, and their perceived influence and expectations from their peers, significant others, and the society.

Anti-smoking education programs for university students in China need to target students who are males and whose parent(s) smoke, as well as help students change their attitudes toward smoking and avoid being influenced by the perceived expectations from their peers, significant others, and the society.