Investigating the Age of Becoming a Smoker and Its Related Factors Among Student Population: a Web-based Study

Abstract

Background: Preventing smoking at an early age is one of the primary solutions to reduce the likelihood of becoming a smoker in adulthood. This study aimed to investigate the age of becoming a smoker and its related factors and to assess the change in the age trend of becoming a smoker among students in Iran.Methods: A cross-sectional web-based survey was performed from July to August 2019 in Tabriz, Iran. A proportional cluster sampling in all universities of the city was implemented, according to the number of students in each university. The data were collected from 3640 students via an online survey questionnaire. Data analyses were performed by using Stata (version 16). The statistical level of significance was set at 0.05. Results: The average (±SD) age of becoming a smoker in the students was 18.8 (6 2.6) years. The age of becoming a smoker has decreased over time. A linear regression model showed that male and undergraduate students become smokers 0.77 and 0.50 years earlier than other students, respectively (P <0.001). Older age, being single, and later smoking initiation increase the average age of becoming a smoker by 0.2 years, 0.77 years, and 0.54 years, respectively (P <0.001).Conclusion: The age of becoming a smoker has decreased over time. Prevention programs should target males and undergraduate students. Furthermore, since students have become smokers earlier than their peers in the past, there is a direct relationship between smoking initiation and the age of becoming a smoker.