Smoking beliefs and behavior among youth in Malaysia and Thailand.

Full Abstract

OBJECTIVE: To characterize smoking beliefs among Thai and Malaysian youth and to examine associations with gender, antismoking media exposure, and smoking status. METHODS: Nationally representative samples of youth completed self-administered questionnaires. RESULTS: A substantial proportion of youth reported positive beliefs about smoking. Those reporting positive beliefs were more likely to be susceptible to smoking. Youth who noticed antismoking media were less likely to report positive beliefs about smoking. CONCLUSIONS: As in Western countries, beliefs about smoking held by youth in Southeast Asia are associated with smoking status. Antismoking media may be an important means of targeting beliefs about smoking among youth.

Author information

Author/s: Parkinson, Carla M (CM); Hammond, David (D); Fong, Geoffrey T (GT); Borland, Ron (R); Omar, Maizurah (M); Sirirassamee, Buppha (B); Awang, Rahmat (R); Driezen, Pete (P); Thompson, Mary (M);

Affiliation: Department of Health Studies and Gerontology, University of Waterloo, Ontario, Canada.

Grants: P50 CA111236 (Agency:NCI NIH HHS) ; R01 CA100362 (Agency:NCI NIH HHS)

Journal and publication information

Publication Type: Journal Article; Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

Journal: American journal of health behavior (Am J Health Behav), published in United States. (Language: eng)

Reference: -2009 Jul-Aug; vol 33 (issue 4) : pp 366-75

Dates: Created 2009/02/02; Completed 2009/08/04;

PMID: 19182982, status: MEDLINE (last retrieval date: 8/21/2009, IMS Date: )

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