Factors associated with Intermittent and Light Smoking among Korean High School Students: Intermittent and Light Smoking among Korean Adolescents

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to identify factors associated with intermittent and light smoking among Korean high school students. METHODS: In this cross-sectional study, we employed secondary data from the 2015 Korea Youth Risk Behavior Web-Based Survey, and used the biopsychosocial model as a framework. The analysis was performed using the data of 2,851 high school students who smoked. We defined intermittent and light smoking as smoking on 1 to 29 days in a 30-day period and no more than 10 cigarettes per day. A logistic regression analysis using the complex samples procedure was conducted. RESULTS: Among all the participants, 1,231 (43.2%) were intermittent and light smokers. Factors significantly predicting intermittent and light smoking were gender and grade (biological factors); subjective stress (psychological factor); and mother's smoking, sibling's smoking and academic achievement (sociocultural factors). CONCLUSION: In smoking cessation programs, health care providers both at school and in the community should consider the unique biological, psychological, and sociocultural characteristics of intermittent and light smoking behavior among high school students.