Smoking behaviour among a group of adolescents. A 2-year longitudinal study

Abstract

Aim. The aim of the study was the assessment of the changes in smoking frequency during a twoyear monitoring program among a group of adolescents. Material and method. The 2-year longitudinal study evaluated a group of 61 schoolchildren, 13-16 years-old, enrolled in the Com4You Oral Health Promotion Program in Bucharest, Romania. The behaviour assessment was performed using a self-administered questionnaire regarding oral hygiene, diet, dental services utilisation and smoking, applied every 8 months, 4 times in total. The subjects were delivered during the program 3 oral health educational lessons using experiential learning, with different oral health-related aspects approached at each lesson and smoking was part of the last one, with the final assessment at 2 weeks after the last lesson. Results: The frequency of smokers increased gradually from 11,5% at baseline to 41% at the end of the monitoring period. When the sample was divided by age, results showed that the increase in frequency of smokers was greater among the 15-16 years-old group, from 19,4% at baseline to 48,4% at the final assessment, who also increased with time the number of cigarettes used per day, compared to 13-14 year-olds, from 3,3% to 33,3% and who kept smoking only occasionally during the study. Moreover, boys were more attracted by smoking than girls, the increase in frequency of smokers among boys was from 12,5% at baseline to 62,5% after two years, compared to girls: from 11,5% to 33,3%. Conclusion: in the studied group, adolescents smoked already from 13 years old, and the frequency of smokers increased fast with age, around 15 years they already smoked daily, with boys being more prone to smoke than girls.