1Graduate School of Public Health, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, Korea 2Department of Preventive Medicine, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, Korea
Corresponding Author:
Kang-Sook Lee ,Tel: +82-2-2258-7381, Fax: +82-2-532-3820, Email: leekangs@catholic.ac.kr
Received: August 24, 2018; Accepted: January 14, 2019.
ABSTRACT
Objectives: Young adulthood represents a critical time of development during which the use of tobacco may begin or cease differences in smoking behaviors between younger (those aged 18-24 years) and older (those aged 25-34) young adults may exist. This study aimed at characterizing patterns related to current smoking in younger young adults and older young adults.
Method: This study used the data acquired from the Sixth Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey conducted from 2013 to 2014. A total of 2,069 subjects were categorized into the two age groups: younger young adults (712 subjects) and older young adults (1,357 subjects). A chi-square test was used to assess the relationship between smoking status and socio-demographic, health-related, and smoking-related factors. Multivariable logistic regression models were conducted to assess the factors affecting current smoking in the two groups.
Results: The current smoking prevalence was 18.3% among the younger young adults and 26.0% among the older young adults. Gender, education level, occupation, perceived health status, alcohol consumption, and electronic cigarette use were related to current smoking in both age groups. Passive smoking at home and stress levels were significantly different in younger and older young adults, respectively.
Conclusions: The research showed a strong correlation between observed variables and smoking behaviors among young adults. Determining factors affecting smoking and designing interventions based on these factors are essential for smoking cessation in young adults.
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