Tobacco smoking among teenagers in an urban area in Southern Brazil

Objective To evaluate the prevalence of tobacco smoking and its determinant s among adolescents. Methods A cross-sectional study using a multiple stage sampling, was carrie d out in 1997 and a sample of adolescents aged between 12 and 18 years who were living in the urban area of Pelotas, Brazil, was studied. Those, who r eported having smoked at least one cigarette per week during the last month were considered smokers. Chi-square test it ns used to compare proportions and conditional logistic regression was applied in the, multivariate analy sis. Results/Conclusions Six hundred and thirty-two adolescents were interviewed among which 38 were non-respondents. Of those interviewed, 11.1% were smok ers at time of the study. 6.8% were former smokers and 82.1% had never smok ed Prevalence of tobacco smoking was directly related to the age. Even afte r adjusting for confounding factors. those who had left or failed at school , their parents, were divorced or reported alcohol abused in the last month showed a higher odds ratio for smoking.