Prevalence and correlates of smoking and sexual activity among Hong Kong adolescents

Purpose: To report on the prevalence and correlates of smoking and sexual a ctivity in a community sample of Hong Kong Chinese adolescents. Methods: Participants (N = 4116) aged 13 to 18 years were surveyed regardin g smoking and physical heterosexual activity, relationships with family mem bers, family involvement, social support, school performance and emotional adjustment. Data were analyzed using logistic regression analyses. Results: About 30% of participants reported ever smoking and 3.5% reported sexual intercourse. Current smoking was correlated with age, school perform ance and quality of relationship with mother. Sexual intercourse was correl ated with age, gender, family involvement and social support. Smoking and s exual activity were significantly correlated with each other. Smoking and i ncreasing levels of heterosexual physical contact were negatively correlate d with emotional adjustment, even after controlling for common predictors t o health-endangering behaviors and emotional adjustment. Conclusions: Smoking and sexual activity among adolescents are far less com mon in Hong Kong than in the West and their presence in a Hong Kong adolesc ent should alert the health practitioner to the possibility of significant psychosocial stress and maladjustment. (C) Society for Adolescent Medicine, 2001.