Perceptions of the Prevalence of Cigarette Smoking by Peers: a Study of Taiwanese, Filipino, and Thai High School Students

PERCEPTIONS OF THE PREVALENCE OF CIGARETTE SMOKING BY PEERS: A STUDY OF TAIWANESE, FILIPINO, AND THAI HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS

Abstract. Youth cigarette smoking is a major public health concern in Southeast Asia. A suspected determinant of youth smoking is perceived peer behavior. Previous research has suggested that the probability that a teenager will use substances increases when there is the perception that most peers engage in the substance use behavior. This study aimed to assess the perceptions of the prevalence of peer cigarette smoking in samples of high school students from three Southeast Asian countries and to examine the association of these perceptions to self-reported personal use of cigarettes. Perceptions of the prevalence of peer smoking were generally characterized by the perception that most students do not smoke. However, a significant percentage of students held the perception that most students were current smokers. Students who held this perception were at increased risk of being current smokers relative to those who believed most students were not current smokers. The results of this study imply that public health programs may benefit from health promotion interventions which focus on dispelling misconceptions that most youth smoke cigarettes.

INTRODUCTION

Tobacco smoking is clearly one of the chief preventable causes of death in the world. The World Health Organization cites that cigarettes are responsible for about five million deaths every year and that if current smoking patterns continue, that number could double by 2020 (WHO, 2004). Half the people who smoke today, about 650 million people, will eventually be killed by tobacco. According to Murray and Lopez (1996), the Asian region is expected to experience a fourfold increase in tobacco mortality between 1998 and 2030. Smoking prevalence in Southeast Asia is likely to increase (Choe et al, 2001). Multinational tobacco companies are marketing their products

Correspondence: Randy...