Smokingin early adolescence : 1993 Pelotas birth cohort study

from: http://www.ersnet.org/learning_resources_player/abstract_print_06/files/247.pdf

Smoking in early adolescence: evidence from the 1993 Pelotas birth cohort study

Ana M.Menezes1, CoraL.P.Araujo2 , HelenGoncalves3, LucianaAnselmi4,

PedroC.Halla5. 1ClinicalMedicine,UniversityFederalofPelotas,Pelotas,RS,

Brazil; 2Post-GraduateCourseinEpidemiology,UniversityFederalofPelotas,

Pelotas,RS,Brazil; 3Post-GraduateCourseinEpidemiology,UniversityFederal

of Pelotas,Pelotas,RS,Brazil

There is evidence that smoking rates are increasing among women and adolescents.

Smoking experience in adolescence is a strong predictor of tobacco addiction in adulthood. The aim of this paper was to evaluate the prevalence and factors  associated with tobacco use in adolescents aged 10-12 years participants of the 199 Pelotas Birth Cohort Study. All children born in 1993 in Pelotas, Brazil were included in a prospective health study. In 2004-5, cohort members were sought for a follow-up visit. Adolescents and mothers were interviewed. 

A confidential questionnaire was also applied to adolescents. Smoking experience was defined at

have experimented at least one cigarette in life. Follow-up rate was 87.5%, and 4,452 cohort members were interviewed in 2004-5. Meanage was11.3 years.

Out ofthe 4394 respondents, 162(3.7%;95%CI3.1;4.2) have ever experimented smoking. Of these, approximately halfsmoked thefirstcigarette before 10years of age. 73 cohort members reported to be daily smokers. In multivariable analysis, the following variables were positively associated with smoking experience: male sex, maternal smoking during pregnancy, living without the biological father in the household, bad relationship with the mother, being beaten by the parents, belong to a family which fights more than others, maternal smoking in2004-5, bad influences, participation in fights in the previous year, history of attempting to run away from home, and experience with alcoholic beverages. The association was negative for socioeconomic level. Because experimentation of tobacco in adolescence is associated with a marked increase for tobacco addiction in adulthood,  interventions should focus on this group.