Journal of Adolescent Health
Volume 64, Issue 6, 2019, Pages S19-S27

Adolescent Smoking in Hong Kong: Prevalence, Psychosocial Correlates, and Prevention (Review)

Ho S.Y.* , Chen J. , Leung L.T. , Mok H.Y. , Wang L. , Wang M.P. , Lam T.H.
  • a School of Public Health, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
  • b School of Public Health, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
  • c School of Public Health, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
  • d School of Public Health, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
  • e School of Public Health, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
  • f School of Nursing, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
  • g School of Public Health, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong

Abstract

Preventing adolescent smoking is important as smoking is typically initiated by young people. This article reviews the prevalence, psychosocial correlates, and prevention of smoking in Hong Kong adolescents. The past 30-day smoking prevalence in adolescents decreased from 9.6% in 2003 to 2.5% in 2017. Tobacco advertisements, parental and best friends smoking, nonintact families, poor family relationships, lower socioeconomic status, being a new immigrant, poor knowledge of smoking-related harm, positive attitudes toward smoking, overestimation of peer smoking, and depressive symptoms were positively associated with smoking outcomes, whereas positive youth development, authoritative mother and permissive father, family functioning, school competence, and stronger tobacco industry denormalization beliefs were protective against smoking. Along with tobacco tax increase, ban on tobacco advertisements, smoke-free law and pictorial warnings, educational efforts through theater performances, social norms campaigns, and positive adolescent training programs have been conducted to prevent adolescent smoking. To achieve the ultimate goal of tobacco endgame, further tax increase, plain packaging, banning point-of-sale display of tobacco products, smoke-free area extension, and raising minimum age of purchase should be implemented. The government proposed law to ban e-cigarettes, and heated tobacco products should be passed soon to protect children and adolescents from using these products. © 2019 Society for Adolescent Health and Medicine

Author Keywords

Adolescent smoking Hong Kong tobacco

Index Keywords

social competence immigrant family functioning tobacco use social norm social psychology depression health care policy human tobacco industry smoking ban Cigarette Smoking priority journal adolescent smoking smoking prevention academic achievement smoking cessation social status Review professional knowledge prevalence family relation outcome assessment Hong Kong
Link
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85062811772&doi=10.1016%2fj.jadohealth.2019.01.003&partnerID=40&md5=529ab94362c72c695cc6412f29b9e432
DOI: 10.1016/j.jadohealth.2019.01.003
ISSN: 1054139X
Cited by: 2
Original Language: English