Cigarette smoking among schoolboys in Beijing, China

The current study was designed to assess the recent rate of cigarette smoki ng and to examine the association of cigarette' smoking with individual fac tors and problem behaviors using data collected in December 1997 from 323 m iddle school students (43% females) in Beijing, China. About 15% of the stu dy sample (23% males and 5% females) reported having ever smoked. The data in the current study confirmed findings from our earlier study (Li et al., 1996, Substance Use and Misuse, 31, 545-563) that the prevalence of cigaret te smoking among Chinese adolescents was higher among males, increased with advancing age and was associated with participation in other problem behav iors and with poorer self perceived academic performance. The data undersco re the need for smoking-prevention programs targeting Chinese children and adolescents. (C) 1999 The Association for Professionals in Services for Ado lescents.