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Youth

School-Based Tobacco Control Programs Show Promise in Reducing Adolescent Smoking

Strategic Insights

— 1 min read

A new study from Seoul, South Korea, suggests that comprehensive school-based tobacco control programs can significantly reduce the likelihood of adolescents smoking. According to the research, students who participated in more prevention programs were less likely to smoke, although the effect was moderated by gender, with boys showing a greater decrease in smoking risk than girls. The study also found that school-level norms regarding tobacco control regulations were negatively associated with smoking, with the effect being significant for girls only. These findings highlight the importance of developing strategies to enhance school-based tobacco control programs and consider gender differences.

Key Takeaways:

  • Comprehensive school-based tobacco control programs have been provided in all primary and secondary schools in Korea since 2015.
  • Students who participated in more prevention programs were less likely to smoke, with an odds ratio of 0.47 (95% CI 0.30-0.74).
  • The effect of the programs was significantly moderated by gender, with boys showing a greater decrease in smoking risk than girls.
  • Exposure to a greater number of programs decreased the risk of smoking for boys, with an odds ratio of 0.32 (95% CI 0.18-0.57).
  • School-level norms regarding tobacco control regulations were negatively associated with smoking, with an odds ratio of 0.28 (95% CI 0.11-0.76) for girls only.
  • The findings suggest the need to develop strategies to enhance school-based tobacco control programs and consider gender differences.

Statistics:

  • 4631 students (ages 10-18 years) were surveyed in 62 secondary schools in Seoul, Korea.
  • 95% of students who participated in more prevention programs were less likely to smoke.
  • The odds ratio for boys was 0.32 (95% CI 0.18-0.57).
  • The odds ratio for girls regarding school-level norms was 0.35 (95% CI 0.17-0.76).

Sources:

  • School-Based Tobacco Control and Smoking in Adolescents: Evidence from Multilevel Analyses. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 2020,17(3422):3422.
  • MDPI AG, publisher for International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. (http://www.mdpi.com/journal/ijerph)
  • https://doi-org.sdpl.idm.oclc.org/10.3390/ijerph17103422, free version of the journal article.
  • Seong Yeon Kim, Department of Public Health Science, Graduate School of Public Health, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, South Korea.
  • Additional authors include Myungwha Jang, Seunghyun Yoo, Jung JeKarl, Joo Youn Chung, Sung-il Cho.

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