Influence of Family Smoking Habits and Passive Smoking on Smoking Status Among Belgrade University Students

ABSTRACT

Background: There are many factors that affect smoking behavior. Objective: The aim of our study was to identify the most important risk factors related to smoking in the sample population of students at the University of Belgrade with a special emphasize on the family role. Methods: The cross-sectional study was conducted in a population of 2,000 students of the Belgrade University. Four faculties (Medicine, Geography, Economics, and Electrical Engineering) from which the students participating in this research were chosen by the method of random choice, conducted in the period April–June 2010. Results: Independent risk factors for smoking in students, assessed by multivariate logistic regression analysis, included: repeating a year (odds ratio (OR) = 1.67, p < .001), the number of hours spent in the rooms where others smoke (OR = 2.86, p < .001), brother smoker (OR = 1.88, p < .001), sister smoker (OR = 2.33, p < .001), knowledge about the association between smoking and lung cancer (OR = 0.31, p < .001), and depression (OR = 1.02, p = .013). Conclusion: Bearing in mind the influence of siblings, prevention, and intervention efforts should be focused more on family members than on the broader social environment. The results also indicate the need to develop a conscience on a healthy life style and to educate people to enhance and improve their health control.

KEYWORDS:

• Smoking
• second-hand smoking
• family
• university students
• Belgrade

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Mirjana Stojanovic-Tasic

Mirjana Stojanovic-Tasic, MD, MSc, is a psychiatrist, systemic family therapist, and Balint coleader under supervision. In particular, she is interested in dealing with families, couples, and children.

Anita Grgurevic

Anita Grgurevic, MD, PhD, is an Associate Professor at the Institute of Epidemiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Belgrade, Serbia. Her research area is epidemiology of noncommunicable diseases. In particular, she is involved in a research of women's and students' health and lifestyles.

Goran Trajkovic

Goran Trajkovic, MD, PhD, is a Professor in the Department of Medical Statistics and Informatics, School of Medicine, University of Belgrade, Serbia. His main interests are methodological aspects and application of statistical methods in various fields of medical science. He is currently conducting research on the evaluation of psychometric characteristics of certain psychiatric scales using meta-analytic method.

Tatjana Pekmezovic

Tatjana Pekmezovic, MD, PhD, is a Professor of Epidemiology, Head of Department of Epidemiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Belgrade, Serbia. Research area: Epidemiology of Non-communicable Diseases.