CIGARETTE-SMOKING AND ITS RISK-FACTORS AMONG ELEMENTARY-SCHOOL STUDENTS IN BEIJING

Objectives This study investigated patterns of and risk factors for sm oking among elementary school children in Beijing, China. Methods. in 1988, anonymous questionnaires were administered to a multistage strat ified cluster sample of 16 996 students, aged mostly 10 to 12, in 479 fourth- to sixth-grade classes from 122 Beijing elementary schools. Re sults. Approximately 28% of boys and 3% of girls had smoked cigarettes . The most frequently cited reasons for smoking initiation were ''to i mitate others' behavior'' and ''to see what it was like.'' Girls were more likely to get cigarettes from home than to purchase their own. Ha ving close friends who smoked and being encouraged by close friends to smoke were strong risk factors for smoking. Smoking was also associat ed with lower parental socioeconomic status; having parents, siblings, or teachers who smoked; buying cigarettes for parents; performing poo rly in school; and not believing that smoking is harmful to health. Co nclusions. Gender differences in smoking prevalence among adolescents in China are larger than those among US teenagers, whereas the proxima l risk factors for smoking are similar. Major efforts are needed to mo nitor and prevent smoking initiation among Chinese adolescents, partic ularly girls.