Abstract

I began the study to identify the issues related to knowledge. attitude and behavior regarding smoking by sixth graders. which will ultimately lead to the development of a smoking prevention program that will not only help deter school-age children from smoking, but also make them aware of the more desirable behaviors and techniques for healthier life. The results are as follows: 1. Smoking Behavior: Of the focus group. 4.15% are current smokers and 18.23% are ever smokers. 2. Correlation between smoking knowledge and ever smoking: Ever smoking sample(11.10+/-3.66) is less knowledge able than the never-smoking sample(12.17+/-3.95), (t=3.23. p=.001). 3. Correlation between smoking attitude and ever smoking: Ever smoking sample(28.12+/-8.51) was less desirable than the never-smoking sample(12.17+/-3.95). (t=8.24, p=.000). 4. Correlation between smoking Knowledge and smoking attitude: knowledge about smoking and attitude toward smoking are quantitatively correlated in such way that the more knowledgeable the child is about smoking. the more desirable the attitude toward smoking is(r=.17. p=.000). 5. Correlation between socio-anthropological characteristics and ever smoking: family . atmosphere(chi2=16.49. p=.001), school life (chi2=l1.58, p=.003), grades in school(chi2=11.89. p=.003), gender(chi2=8.97. p=.003). friends' gathering place(chi2=13.19. p=.02), marital status of parents(p* =.03). and family's financial status(chi2=6.71. p=.035). In addition, Correlation between somking-environmental characteristics and ever smoking: number of friends who smoke(chi2=76.01. p=.001). information source for smoking(chi2=48.03. p=.001), whether or not siblings smoke(chi2=26.07, p=.001), whether or not female relatives smoke (chi2=15.65. p=.001), whether or not father smokes (chi2=12.10. p=.007), errands to buy cigarettes for someone(chi2=9.18. p=.010), and whether or not male relatives smoke (chi2=8.82. p=.35). 6. Results of the logistic analysis performed to identify the factors correlated to ever smoking show that: one point decrease in attitude score translates to 25.39 times' increase in ever smoking one person decrease in the number of friends who smoke translates to 0.66 times' decrease in ever smoking: the group where the father has quit smoking has 1.40 times more ever smoking than the group where the father does not smoke at all: and likewise, the group where the father currently smokes has 1.40 times more ever smoking than the group where the father has quit smoking. 7. The overall cause-and-effect relationship between the ever smoking and the related factors: attitude toward smoking caused ever smoking by -.43, smoking by friends, by .12, marital status of arents, by .05, school life. by .04, gender, by -.03, and smoking by father, by -.02. Knowledge about smoking (t=-1.67) did not cause significant effects on ever smoking.