A study of factors concerning smoking behavior a male certificate level students in Vocational Colleges under the Jurisdiction of the Department of Vocational Education Bangkok Metropolis
Abstract:
The purposes of this survey research were to study factors concerning smoking behavior of male certificate level students and to study the relationship among predisposing factors, enabling factors, reinforcing factors and smoking behavior. The questionnaires developed by the researcher were randomly sent to 400 male smoking students at vocational colleges under the Jurisdiction of the Department of Vocational Education, Bangkok metropolis. Four hundred questionnaires, accounted for 100 percent, were returned. The obtained data were analyzed in terms of percentages, means, and standard deviations. The Pearsons Product Moment Correlation, Chi-square and Stepwise Multiple Regression Analysis were also applied. The results were as follows: 1. Most of the respondents started smoking between 13-15 years of age, on average 14.9 years of age, and their smoking habit lasted 1-3 years. Their first cigarette came from close friends, and they smoked daily. They usually smoked between 1-5 cigarettes per day. The average purchasing expense of cigarettes was 269 baht per month. Their family members, close friends, and teachers smoked. Their knowledge about cigarette smoking was fair. Attitudes and belief towards smoking were found to be at the good level. 2. Factors concerning smoking behavior: Predisposing factors were: knowledge, attitudes, belief in smoking, age, school performance, family income per month, parents marital status, parent occupation, the person with whom they resided and residential area. These factors were found related with cigarette smoking behavior significantly at the .05 level but there was no significant difference at the .05 level among the siblings, order of children in the family and smoking behavior. Enabling factors were students income; the cost of cigarettes purchased; acquisition of cigarettes, sources of cigarettes purchased and areas for smoking. These factors were found related with cigarette smoking behavior significantly at the .05 level. Reinforcing factors were: having been with close friends smoking inside and outside of college; teachers who smoked; warning from teachers and parents regarding cigarette smoking, prohibited smoking inside the institute and adherence to the No Smokers Health Protection Act. These factors were found related with cigarette smoking behavior significantly at the .05 level but there was no significant difference at the .05 level among family members who smoked and smoking behavior.