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

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.