Smoking Behaviors of the Students in Senior High School in Kantharawichai District, Maha Sarakham Province

Abstract

The purpose of this research was to study smoking behaviors and factors affecting to the students in
senior high school, Kantharawichai District, Maha Sarakham Province. The sample group consists of 158 senior high school students. The study uses cross sectional study. Questionnaires were used for a data collection. Descriptive statistics that used for data analysis were frequency, percentage, arithmetic mean, standard deviation, minimum, and maximum and inferential statistics with multiple logistic regression. The research results showed that 59.5 percent of the sample group are male, and 81 percent of the sample group didn’t smoke. The reason of smoking is curiosity which was accounted for 53.3 percent. 40 percent of them started smoking at the age of 15. The level of their health literacy in 6 aspects found that knowledge was at a high level ( = 1.90, S.D. = 0.71). The accessibility of health data was at a moderate level ( = 0.71, S.D. = 0.15).
The communication skill was at a moderate level ( = 2.01, S.D. = 0.57). The decision making skill was at a
high level ( = 1.83, S.D. = 0.53). Their self-management is at a moderate level ( = 1.87, S.D. = 0.52). Their
media literacy was at a moderate level ( = 2.23, S.D. = 0.77). The factors related to smoking behaviors were
health literacy, knowledge of how smoking increases a chance of substance addiction (AOR = 1.12; 95%
CI = 1.075 to 5.59; P-value = 0.03). Involved organizations should control and prevent new smokers and effects of smoking.