Tobacco smoking by Mexican adolescents who use the WhatsApp and Facebook social networking platforms as a means of communication

ABSTRACT

Background: The high prevalence of smoking registered in recent years as well as the extensive use of online text messaging platforms such as WhatsApp and Facebook suggests a correlation between content exchange on these platforms and tobacco smoking by teenagers.

Methods: By a cross-sectional study, the social networking activity of 1,329 adolescents was analyzed. Data were collected using a self-administered questionnaire.

Results: In the studied population, the prevalence of smoking was 18.6%, and 37.7% declared the regular use of WhatsApp or Facebook to communicate. According to the results, 94.8% of adolescents who used these platforms received text messages with sexual content, and 45.4% shared this content.

The logistic regression analysis showed a significant association between active smoking by adolescents using social networks and content exchange deemed inappropriate (receiving: adjusted OR = 5.41; sharing: adjusted OR = 2.49). In the family environment, the lack of communication between adolescents and their parents regarding social network content seems to favor the development of tobacco smoking.

Conclusions: It is important that parents fostering constant communication with their children regarding the use of substances such as tobacco and, regularly monitoring who is interacting with their children and sharing content on social networks.

KEYWORDS:

• Adolescence
• smoking
• sexual behaviours
• family

Acknowledgments

We thank the adolescents who participated in the study.

Disclosure of potential conflict of interest

The authors declare there is no conflict of interest.