The Effect of Social Groups and External Environments on Youths’ Smoking Experience in China

• In Event: Roundtable Session 26
  In Roundtable Session: The Effects of Literacy, Information, and Environment on Health

Abstract

As the largest smoking country, how to prevent youth from smoking becomes a severe challenge to educators and governors in China. By analyzing the data from Global Youth Tobacco Survey (GYTS) in 2005, this study examines the effects of the social groups and external environment that youths are familiar with on their smoking experience, and finds close friends are the most influential social group which could trigger a youth to try smoking. Also, children lack sufficient knowledge about smoking and cigarette. Effective anti-smoking media messages are confirmed to be able to decrease the possibility of youths’ smoking greatly. Therefore, some possible policies solutions can be drawn from the results of this study to assist prevent youths’ smoking in China.

Author

• Tian Fu, Capital Normal University